Friday, March 6, 2009

Knowing the Symptoms of Heart Disease can Save Your Life!

By Allie Hart

You can't always recognize symptoms of common heart problems. Some things you might think are related to your heart are not really problems. Other symptoms may indicate serious coronary heart disease and need immediate attention. You need to be able to distinguish between the two.

Any one or a combination of heart disease symptoms is a good reason to call your doctor and bring them to the doctor's attention. Although they might not indicate heart trouble, there's a chance you could have experienced a type of cardiac arrest. If you find yourself having heart disease symptoms, it's imperative to discuss the situation with your doctor even if you think it may not be serious.

Some of the more common reasons to contact your doctor right away include an unexplained bloated feeling in your stomach along with nausea or loss of appetite. Extreme fatigue or a reduced ability to finish daily activities, as well as difficulty breathing during normal activities or even at rest can be heart disease symptoms which must never be ignored.

Some of the more common danger signs of heart problems are: heart palpitations, a racing heart rate of over 100 beats per minute, and/or chest discomfort or pain. If resting eases any or all of these symptoms, you might have heart disease.

Smoking, excessive drinking, and substance abuse can elevate symptoms of heart disease. You are also at greater risk if there is a history of common heart problems in your family. So share any of those risk factors, and if you are having the above mentioned signs, particularly if they are combined, call your doctor right away. If you cannot get hold of him you probably should go into the hospital emergency room. Have a friend or family member drive you.

Call 911 or if you must, have someone take you to the hospital without any delay if you have an excruciating chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath, sudden weakness or profuse sweating. If you experience a severe shortness of breath along with an accelerated heart rate, you should also seek immediate medical attention. Weakness or loss of the ability to move, sudden excruciating headache, fainting or loss of consciousness are all symptoms requiring prompt treatment.

Heart disease symptoms can rapidly deteriorate into a heart attack. You may feel you are not in danger, but if you are having the symptoms, call your doctor. If on the other hand, you feel you may be in danger - don't hesitate to see if it gets better. Go to the hospital or call 911!

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