Your heart gives you signals before heart failure occurs. Read this article to know early signs of heart failure.
All our life we have believed that heart failure occurs suddenly. While it is true to some extent, it is not always abrupt. Our body is designed in such a way that it gives you hints when something is out of order. When your heart functions are disturbed, your body will give SOS signs. The early signs of heart failure might be subtle but ignoring them can be life-threatening. A lot of people receive warning signs but they ignore them thinking it to be normal. Sadly in the recent past, a lot of young people have been suffering from heart failure which is concerning. Thus, awareness is very important. We spoke to Dr. Anbu Pandian, Medical Advisor at Agatsa, to know the warning signs of heart failure.
Before understanding the signs and symptoms, it is important to understand what leads to heart failure. When our heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively or heart muscles are damaged causing delay in heart functions, heart failure may occur. In most cases, people who have suffered a heart attack or are ailing with a coronary artery disease are at a greater risk of heart failure. Besides, patients of hypertension, genetic diseases, and faulty heart valves are also susceptible to suffering from heart failure.(click here to read more about heart failure)
When your heart fails, it can cause death. Thus, it is important to identify the signs of heart failure and receive immediate medical attention. Here are five signs that you should not ignore
Most people ignore chest pain like they ignore headaches. Well, chest pain is a prominent sign of irregularities in heart functions. However, it is not always due to heart issues, there might be other problems too. In any case, you should never ignore chest pain if it is sharp, frequent and prolonged.
In case of heart failure, chest pain can cause extreme discomfort and an aching feeling along with a burning sensation.
The most common sign of a heart attack is breathing difficulty. It may also occur only during physical activity or in stressful situations. Shortness of breath basically occurs, when the heart is not functioning normally, leading to blood backing up in the blood vessels. If you find it hard to catch a breath, consult a doctor immediately.
Improper functioning of blood may sometimes lead to fatigue and tiredness as the body is not getting enough blood to fulfil the need of the body tissues. The other most common sign is dizziness, especially while walking fast or suddenly standing up. It may be due to an abnormality of heart function or rhythm.
Take congestion as a red alarm for your heart. When there is fluid buildup in the lungs, you may experience breathing issues including wheezing and coughing. These can interfere with heart functions leading to heart failure. So, if you experience congestion with chest pain, call for immediate medical help.
Heart failure happens when your heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. The used blood in the lower part of the body like legs and ankles is not pumped back to the heart for purification. It gets accumulated in the ankles which causes swelling. In some people, abrupt weight gain along with ankle swelling is a potential sign of heart failure.