Signs of Heart Disease: Danger Signs that You Shouldn't Ignore

Like all major catastrophes, a major heart disease is also preceded by warning signs years before the disease actually strikes an individual. Often the inability to recognize these signs and to take preventive measures leads to major heart problems that can prove to be fatal. Most people, unfortunately, attribute these early signs of heart disease to other causes and ignore the real cause of these warning signals. The signs of heart disease may be varied with common symptoms being that of chest pain, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and swelling in the legs. People with a history of heart problems in the family should never ignore these signs of heart disease and should rather be cautious and report to a doctor immediately when they are afflicted with any of these symptoms.

A brief discussion of the symptoms of some of the early signs of heart disease will help in understanding the relevance of these early signs of heart disease in preventing the further onslaught of a major heart problem. One of the most common signs of heart disease, Chest pain or Angina, is characterized by pain or tightness in the chest. The pain may stay for a couple of minutes or keep recurring after intervals. Most people relate chest pain to stomach indigestion or consider it a simple case of heartburn. If the angina occurs when you are at rest, it is usually an indicator of a heart attack that may soon occur. Hence, all signs of chest pain should be immediately reported to a heath care provider. Shortness of breath is another sign of a heart disease. If you experience breathlessness with even a little exertion such as walking up and down the stairs, brisk walking or a similar activity that does not involve much exertion, you must see a doctor immediately. A sudden shortness of breadth might also mean a heart attack. Other notable signs of an impending heart disease are swelling in the legs and feet, also known as edema. The collection of fluids in the legs is usually an indicator of a heart disease. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are also signs of a heart disease. One must get regular check ups of the blood pressure and the cholesterol level as both these conditions can be treated through medication. If you have any of the signs mentioned above coupled with a family history of heart problems, see a health care provider immediately as detection at an early stage with proper medication might help prevent the risk of a major heart problem.