Heart diseases pose serious health risks worldwide for individuals over 50 with a family history of cardiovascular issues. Yet, the signs do not always stand out. Besides the usual chest discomfort, many quiet and often overlooked indicators exist. This can delay identifying and treating the problem, harming one's well-being.
Spotting these hidden signs of heart trouble plays a key role in catching and addressing it, boosting a person's health in the long run. This article highlights under-recognised/overlooked but important heart disease symptoms, encouraging people to pay attention to their bodies and see a heart failure specialist.
Subtle Symptoms of Heart Disease Beyond Chest Pain
Heart disease manifests through various symptoms, many easily misattributed to less serious health concerns. Cardiologists stress the importance of recognising symptoms during exertion that ease with rest, especially in individuals with risk factors like high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease.
This widely supported perspective emphasises the need to notice less apparent symptoms. Identifying these subtle symptoms of heart disease early and visiting a doctor are important steps towards successful diagnosis and treatment:
1. Fatigue
This part explores how tiredness cannot be dismissed as a potential symptom of heart disease and does so precisely in the context of its applicability to women.
Fatigue is sometimes dismissed lightly due to being busy or just growing up. However, once it turns persistent and without explanation, it may be a forewarning of something more than a hectic schedule or another birthday.
Imagine completing an easy task you have done multiple times, like climbing a flight of stairs or carrying bags of groceries, and being severely tired afterwards. This is not the usual end-of-work fatigue. Your body is telling you that your heart might not pump blood efficiently.
Women may experience fatigue as a prominent symptom of heart disease. Unlike men, who might report classic symptoms like chest pain, women’s symptoms can be subtler. It is a symptom that is easy to dismiss, but doing so could overlook an early warning sign of heart disease.
2. Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath (dyspnoea), often dismissed as an aspect of ageing or unfitness, may be one of the subtle signs of heart disease/issue/failure. Breathlessness can occur when exerting yourself, such as walking, climbing stairs, or even resting—shortness of breath on light exertion or being unable to breathe unless sitting up straight indicates heart conditions like heart failure or coronary artery disease.
Patients have told me how sudden shortness of breath can be a symptom of heart issues. Climbing a couple of flights of stairs or doing a bit of light housework suddenly became a problem. These little stories remind us to heed this symptom.
3. Unusual Swelling
Swelling in your feet, ankles, or legs is a subtle yet significant sign that your heart is not pumping blood properly, causing tissue fluid build-up. A symptom like this, if repeated, should never be dismissed, especially if you are at risk for heart disease.
While several explanations may exist for such swelling, when it occurs with fatigue or shortness of breath, it is highly likely to be caused by a heart condition. It should be sought after immediately if you discover that swelling persists.
4. Irregular Heartbeats
Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) can manifest in different ways, such as a fast heart (tachycardia) or a slow heart (bradycardia). While sometimes hard to notice, these signs can indicate serious heart issues beneath the surface.
Take, for example, a heart that flutters or pounds even when you are not moving. This might mean you have atrial fibrillation, a more dangerous problem.
Also Read: Heart Conditions That Cause Dizziness: What You Need to Know
5. Jaw, Neck, or Back Pain
When stressed, the heart can cause pain that extends to the jaw, neck, and back. This is called referral pain because nerves that transmit pain signals from the heart can share pathways with those supplying these areas. Hence, a simple back, jaw, or neck ache might clearly indicate that your heart is struggling.
In women, this can be a prominent heart disease and heart attack symptom. An abrupt, unpredictable pain in these regions warrants immediate medical treatment, particularly if it is accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, or fatigue.
6. Cold Sweats
Cold sweats are usually dismissed as anxiety or temporary discomfort; often, people do not consider the possibility that they might indicate something serious is happening. When the body indicates unexpected cold sweating with no discrete explanation, such as exertion or heat, one must consider it a possible precursor to heart stress. This is an indication that a heart attack or other serious heart problems are imminent.
Cold sweats are alarming if they occur with nausea, dizziness, or chest pain.
7. Nausea & Indigestion
Nausea and indigestion may not be able to point directly towards issues concerning the heart. Yet, it must be well understood that such minor discomforts could, at times, be the first symptoms of heart disease. When the heart's ability to pump is compromised, it can cause pain in various locations throughout the body, including the abdomen. Although this relationship is not always directly apparent, it is rather important for early detection of heart ailments. Any unexplained symptoms should never be dismissed.
Some people, particularly women, may experience these gastrointestinal symptoms instead of classic chest discomfort; this can render the administration of medical answers misleading and create unwanted delays and hiccups in treatment attention.
8. Snoring
Atypically loud snoring, sounding like gasping or choking, may signal sleep apnoea—a condition characterised by short breathing pauses during sleep. Although it may not appear directly related to cardiovascular well-being, sleep apnoea stresses the heart.
This stress comes from repeated moments throughout the night when your breathing stops, which can increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system.
Prioritise Your Heart Health: Recognise & Act on Subtle Signs
Understanding your body and its signals can sometimes be the first line of defence against heart disease. Overlooking these signs can have serious, sometimes irreversible, consequences in a critical realm like heart health.
If you notice overlooked symptoms that may signal heart trouble, Dr Karthigesan Clinic in Chennai is ready to support you. Our expert team offers comprehensive care tailored to your unique needs.
Schedule your consultation with us today to take the first step towards proactive heart care!
