What are the symptoms of poor heart health? Causes and prevention of heart disease!
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Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common causes of death in the world. No one can guarantee that they will not have heart problems at some stage in their life, even if they or someone in their family has not suffered from heart disease in the past. This is why it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle and recognize when something is wrong with your body. In today’s article, we will answer some very important questions such as, “What are the symptoms of poor heart health?”, “What are the most common cardiovascular diseases?” and find out how to prevent them!
What are the symptoms of poor heart health?
Only a doctor can confirm whether you actually have a heart problem. However, there are some typical symptoms of poor heart health that you should never ignore and if you notice something is wrong, seek help immediately! The main problem for many people is that they actually put off contacting a cardiologist too much. As a result, the disease may be detected too late, complicating treatment.
The most common symptom of a heart disease is chest pain concentrated in the heart area, but it can also spread to the left shoulder and lower jaw. If you are experiencing these, it is a sure sign that there is a health problem, and you should see a doctor. Remember that if the disease is detected in time, in most cases some lifestyle changes and preventive care can be quite enough!
Other common symptoms of poor heart health are:
- difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- dizziness, loss of consciousness
- pulse problems
- weakness, frequent trembling of the fingers
- poor exercise tolerance
- regular headaches, discomfort and pain when walking
- always high or low blood pressure
- cough – it can get worse when you lie down
- swollen feet
- stomach aches and heartburn
If you have any of the above symptoms, you need to see a cardiologist. Heart diseases need to be diagnosed and treated in time. If you do not seek adequate medical attention, the situation can only worsen and lead to catastrophic consequences. Therefore, do not put your life and health at risk, but visit a cardiologist as soon as you feel that something is wrong with you!
What are the most common cardiovascular diseases?
- Arrhythmia. An abnormal rhythm of contraction that puts the entire heart at risk.
- Heart defects (congenital and acquired). Heart valve dysfunction. The disease can be treated with surgery.
- Coronary heart disease. Blood supply to the heart muscle is significantly reduced, which can lead to heart attacks and shortness of breath.
- Myocardial infarction. The stoppage of blood flow to a certain part of the heart. Infarction puts a person’s life at great risk, so at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to seek medical help immediately.
What are the causes of heart disease?
Heart disease can occur for a number of reasons, as the heart is very susceptible to disorders, most notably coronary heart disease. Well-known risk factors are high blood cholesterol, obesity and lack of exercise, smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes.
How to prevent heart disease?
To reduce the likelihood of heart disease, you need to change some of your bad habits and work on new healthy ones. If we talk about primary prevention (when we try to prevent the onset of a disease), there are a few principles that are well known to everyone, but worth remembering and following:
Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake
Stop smoking and reduce the amount and frequency of alcohol intake or, best of all, stop it completely! Smoking is extremely harmful to the heart and blood vessels. If you are an active smoker, the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and even a fatal outcome is significantly greater than for non-smokers. As for alcohol, according to some studies, it is believed to have some heart benefits in small amounts. It is important not to overdo it, because it also leads to excess weight, which in turn is also a risk factor.
Regular physical activity
It is necessary to increase physical activity, but at the same time ensure enough rest and sleep for your body. We can talk a lot about the benefits of physical exercise, but it is no coincidence that sport and health go hand in hand. At the same time, you need to give your body enough time to sleep and rest to recover and gather strength!
Keep calm and avoid stress situations
The emotional background should also be normalized. Avoid excessive stress and anxiety, which have been proven to have a negative impact on our bodies and mind. Try to be as calm as possible and do not get angry about insignificant things that you will not remember tomorrow. Try meditation, reading books or practicing a favorite hobby to give yourself the peace of mind you need.
Healthy diet
Last but not least, we’ll mention healthy eating. Your diet should contain adequate amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. You might try the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. The amount of table salt should also be strictly limited.