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Balloon Mitral Valvotomy Resource
Noticing the Signs of Heart Disease
Although there are really no surefire ways to diagnose heart disease besides going in to see your doctor and having a proper examination, there are certain signs of heart disease that may be giving you a warning of such problems. It is therefore incredibly important to watch out for these signs of heart disease, so that if you do happen to notice them you can get in to see your doctor as soon as possible and get treatment, if necessary.
Signs of Heart Disease
Each different type of heart disease has its own signs and symptoms, however there are some basic signs of heart disease that are typical with all the various different types of heart disease, one in particular being angina.
Angina is best described as being a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, burning or squeezing feeling in the chest, and is often mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. Agina is chest pain that occurs when your heart muscle is not getting enough blood, and besides in your chest the pain caused by it may also occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw and back.
Shortness of breath is another commonly experienced sign of heart disease, and it occurs when blood backs up in the pulmonary veins, which are the vessels that return the blood from the lungs to the heart, and as a result this causes fluid to leak into the lungs. This symptom is most commonly experienced during activity, or while sleeping, and if you experience it you will most often have difficulty breathing while lying flat and may have to prop up your upper body.
Edema, which is a build up of excess fluid in the body tissues, is another of the most common signs of heart disease, and this occurs when blood flow out of the heart slows, the blood that is returning to the heart through the veins becomes backed up, causing fluid to build up in the tissues.
Tiredness and fatigue are also common, and this happens when the body is not able to pump enough blood to be able to meet the needs of body tissues. The body then diverts blood away from what are considered as being the less vital organs, and in particular this is referring to the muscles in the limbs, and sends it to the heart and brain.
If at any time you notice any of these signs or symptoms of heart disease, you need to make an appointment to see your doctor for as soon as you possibly can, so that you can go in for a full examination and have a proper assessment and diagnosis. After all, only after you have been properly diagnosed can you really get yourself on the road to treatment.
It is usually done in conjunction with cardiac catherization, and before the procedure starts you will typically be given a sedative to help you relax. The causes of coronary heart disease are such that they may even begin when the patient is in his or her early adolescent years though diagnosis usually takes place during later in his or her life, most often following a stroke or heart attack. If you look at old episodes of Johnny Carsons TONIGHT SHOW, he casually puffs on a cigarette throughout the bulk of the program; classic films of the 1930s and 1940s are filled with actors puffing away through the duration of the program; and, most bizarre in retrospective, there is a scene in 1973s THE EXORCIST where the DOCTORS are smoking in the examination scene. One should also realize that winter is a time of year when heart disease is most likely to occur in America, and thus one should take care by knowing beforehand what is heart disease, must be well prepared in being able to ward it off. Needless to say, this is a dangerous situation as a potential heart attack is a significant possibility. However, if you have your cholesterol checked early on by your doctor, you might only need medication, instead of a more serious procedure such as bypass surgery. |
