Heart disease is one of the main healthcare concerns today. It is a major cause of death and suffering and cost and more. It is something that concerns us all really. And we probably all know that prevention is possible and that early detection helps because early treatment does. So what are the warning signs of heart disease…

  • Chest pain. This is the classical one. Chest pain, often on exertion, often central and crushing in nature, is an important sign of angina or heart attack.
  • Shortness of breath. This is extremely common in heart disease.
  • Swelling. Typically of the ankles and feet, but also of the face and hands and arms sometimes. Swelling can be a sign of heart disease.
  • Cold feet. Poor circulation may be noticed as cold feet. Or become worse and involve pain and even tissue-death (gangrene in essence) as too-little oxygen is supplied by the failing heart.
  • Pulse. An extremely rapid (over 100 at rest, say) or an irregular pulse or a faint pulse can all be signs of heart disease.
  • Fatigue. Plain tiredness is really a common and important, and often-overlooked, sign of heart disease. Any sudden or significant tiredness should be cause for concern, with heart disease one of several important possible causes.
  • Anxiety. In an acute attack of angina or in an actual heart attack, people often feel afraid. Mortally afraid. This has long been observed and is an important sign that should not be ignored. If the patient seems concerned, you should be too.
  • At-risk appearance. Without being prejudiced in any way, we do know who is most at risk for heart disease. It is not young athletic sorts generally. It is older heavier less-well-looking folks, on average anyway. So if the signs are there and the apparent-risk-profile fits, you may be onto something. Not always, so be careful (there are plenty of exceptions too). But yes, a person’s general appearance gives clues. Notice them.

Spotting possible heart disease, in yourself or others, can be a life-saving or life-changing observation to make.

Written by Dr Colin Burns