Is Your Heart Trying to Tell You Something?
As a nurse who has spent over a decade working in Cardiology, Coronary Care and Cardiac Rehabilitation, I have cared for far too many people who have dismissed the early signs of heart disease.
Heart disease doesn’t always announce itself with a dramatic heart attack. For many, the signs are subtle and creep up over time. The heart sends us warning signals – very lightly, then more frequent and louder, until such time as the big cardiac event may happen. This blog is about learning the warning signs and acting early. Being proactive is far better than being reactive when it comes to the heart.
Whether it’s brushing off shortness of breath as just ‘getting older’, ‘losing fitness’ or blaming fatigue on a busy lifestyle, many middle aged adults fail to recognise the early warning signs of heart trouble. But the heart is an incredible organ and it often tries to warn us before a cardiac event.
If you’ve been feeling ‘off’ lately, your heart might be trying to tell you something.
Here are seven warning signs you should never ignore.
1. Unusual Fatigue
We all get tired from time to time, but if you find yourself exhausted doing everyday tasks like carrying groceries, or getting dressed, it could be a sign that your heart is struggling to pump blood efficiently.
Many people assume fatigue is just part of aging or stress, but when it’s persistent, unexplained, and doesn’t improve with rest, it could be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease.
What to Do:
- Take note of when the fatigue occurs. Does it happen after minor exertion?
- If it’s persistent and unusual, don’t ignore it, speak to your doctor.
2. Shortness of Breath
Struggling to catch your breath when walking up a flight of stairs? Feeling out of breath even when sitting or lying down? This could indicate heart failure, blocked arteries or valvular disease.
Your heart and lungs work closely together. When the heart struggles to pump blood efficiently, fluid can back up into the lungs, making it harder to breathe.
What to Do:
- If shortness of breath is something new, frequent, or getting worse, get it checked immediately.
- If it comes on suddenly and is severe, call emergency services. This could indicate a serious heart issue like a narrowing in the arteries or a valvular issue.
3. Chest Discomfort
Most people think heart attacks cause severe chest pain, like ‘an elephant sitting on your chest’ but this isn’t always the case. Chest discomfort can feel like:
- Pressure, tightness, squeezing or discomfort. It may not always present in the chest. Some people only experience shoulder, or back pain. Some people only experience the nausea and vomiting or ‘feeling off’;
- A burning sensation (often mistaken for heartburn)
- Intermittent pain that comes and goes, thereby creating confusion and which can easily be dismissed as a heart problem.
Many people dismiss these symptoms, believing them to be indigestion. But chest discomfort even mild should never be ignored.
What to Do:
- If the discomfort lasts more than a few minutes, seek medical help.
- If the pain spreads to the arm, jaw, or back, or comes with nausea, dizziness, or sweating call emergency services immediately.
4. Swollen Feet, Ankles, or Legs
If your shoes suddenly feel tight or you notice unexplained swelling in your feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen, it could be a sign of heart failure.
When the heart isn’t pumping efficiently, fluid can accumulate in the lower limbs (peripheral oedema) which is present even when you’re resting and may worsen by the end of the day. Or if you notice fluid retention around the abdomen (ascites), that isn’t caused by overeating.
What to Do:
- If swelling is persistent or worsening, see your doctor.
- Monitor your weight gain – for every 1kg weight gain, is a 1kg fluid retention. If your weight increases by 1kg each day for 2 days in a row, accompanied by increasing shortness of breath, this is a medical emergency which requires immediate intervention.
5. Dizziness or Light headedness
Have you ever stood up too quickly and felt dizzy? That’s normal and may be a simple dehydration explanation. But if you experience frequent or unexplained dizziness, light headedness, or fainting, this can signal a serious heart issue.
This happens when the heart isn’t pumping enough blood to the brain, which could be due to through either low blood pressure or an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
What to Do:
- If you frequently feel dizzy, lightheaded, or faint, it’s time to get checked.
- If dizziness happens along with chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations, this may be an electrical problem called an arrhythmia and requires immediate medical help.
6. Persistent Heartburn, Nausea, or Stomach Pain
Many people put heartburn, nausea, or stomach discomfort down to something they ate. But the heart and digestive system are closely located and central chest pain is in exact location to the oesophagus and can be misdiagnosed as reflux. Left sided chest pain can be misdiagnosed as reflux also as the stomach’s gastric bubble lies in close proximity to the heart, which means heart problems can sometimes feel like digestive issues.
This is especially true for women, who often experience nausea, indigestion, or upper abdominal pain as early signs of a heart attack.
What to Do:
- If you experience unusual nausea, stomach pain, or heartburn, especially alongside other symptoms, don’t dismiss it.
- If symptoms don’t go away or feel different than usual, get checked out.
7. Irregular Heartbeat
An occasional skipped beat or fluttering sensation in the chest can be normal, especially with caffeine or stress. But there are several arrhythmias that present with these symptoms that require further investigation.
If you have been experiencing:
- Frequent palpitations; or
- A racing heart (even at rest), or an alternate pattern of racing heart than slow heart rate; or
- A slow, irregular, or pounding heartbeat; or
- Lightheaded, dizzy or felt faint, likely to pass out, then
This could be a sign of an arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm), which increases the risk of stroke and other complications.
What to Do:
- If palpitations happen frequently or last for long periods, get checked.
- If they come with dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or a pre-syncopal or syncopal episode, seek immediate medical attention.
Listen to Your Heart
Your heart is constantly working to keep you alive, but when it starts sending warning signals, it’s up to you to listen. Early intervention makes all the difference. Taking action now could save your life. Better to get checked and cleared by the medical team than to not get checked at all. If something feels off, don’t wait. Get checked.
Alex
