When To Get Medical Advice
See your GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure.
The symptoms can be caused by other, less serious conditions, so it’s a good idea to get them checked out.
Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency department as soon as possible if you have sudden or very severe symptoms.
This is a medical emergency that may require immediate treatment in hospital.
Page last reviewed: 19 May 2022 Next review due: 19 May 2025
When To See A Healthcare Provider
The symptoms most commonly caused by heart disease can also be produced by other medical conditions, from very serious to entirely benign. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you need an evaluation by your healthcare provider to identify the cause. These are symptoms that should never be ignored.
Additionally, if you’re having any difficulty getting an erection, especially if the problem has been gradual, this is nearly always one of the first signs of either heart disease or diabetes in men. Be sure to see your healthcare provider as soon as you notice any problem with erectile dysfunction.
If you have a family history of heart disease or you’re worried about your risk for developing it, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. Staying proactive where your heart health is concerned can help you detect any problems early, giving you a better potential outcome.
Heart Disease Doctor Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Abnormally Low Blood Volume
Two studies conducted in 2009 and 2010 reported that people with ME/CFS had lower-than-normal blood volume.
Moreover, the lower the blood volume, the more severe the case of ME/CFS. Many scientists now believe that low blood volume contributes to many of the symptoms of ME/CFS.
Low blood volume is a factor in certain cardiovascular issues seen in CFS, specifically orthostatic symptoms and a small left ventricle.
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Heart Disease Risk Factors
It is important to pay attention to any symptoms that may indicate heart disease. Donât ignore them or wait for them to go away see your doctor for testing and diagnosis. Many people mistake heart disease symptoms for heartburn or muscle soreness. If you have any cardiac disease risk factors, including
- being male
- family history of heart disease
If you have any of the above risk factors, you need to pay extra attention to any potential heart disease symptoms.
When Should I See A Doctor
Its important not to ignore symptoms and wait until they become severe. If you have a concern, talk to your doctor. If heart disease is caught early, there are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of further problems: eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, get regular exercise , maintain a healthy weight, drink alcohol in moderation , and dont smoke.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This serious, long-term condition involves a lot more than just tiredness. People with CFS can also experience loss of memory/concentration, enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or armpits, headaches, and more. Some heart-related abnormalities can indicate that you have CFS in fact, many with CFS have an unusually high heart rate and low blood pressure after standing for a while, but this may be more due to altered automatic nerve reflexes.
To be clear, CFS does not cause a heart attack. The symptom of fatigue may indicate heart artery disease, but it can also be a factor in other conditions, such as sleep disorders or thyroid problems. Thats why its best to see your provider before you panic and assume the worst.
Cardiac Abnormalities Linked To Me/cfs
Chronic fatigue syndrome involves a lot more than fatigue. In addition to a few dozen possible symptoms, this disease is also linked to certain heart abnormalities. Does that mean you have to worry about developing heart disease? Not necessarily. However, you should watch out for signs of heart disease and do what you can to lower your risk.
The incident rate of heart disease is higher in people with ME/CFS than in the general population, and the association may be more than incidental.
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Chronic Fatigue Linked To Heart Problems
The exact cause of chronic fatigue is unknown. However, there is a link between heart problems in patients with chronic fatigue. Issues such as left ventricular dysfunction are common in patients with chronic fatigue. This occurs when the main chamber of the heart that pumps blood is weak, lessening the volume of blood your heart can pump. Fatigue that gets worse with exertion is a common symptom.
If youve been experiencing unusual fatigue, even if you havent been diagnosed with heart problems, its wise to report your symptoms to a health care provider and have an evaluation of your heart function.
To learn more, visit Dr. Suri at West Coast Medicine and Cardiology. Call our Fremont or Hayward, California, office to schedule an appointment. You can also send the team a message here on our website.
Warning Signs Your Body Gives You Before A Heart Attack
Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in both men and women worldwide. Contrast to what you may see in a movie, the signs of a heart attack can be hard to miss. “Two-thirds of women will have less-typical, non-Hollywood heart attack symptoms,” says C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles.
Though symptoms like chest tightness and upper body pain are more obvious, heart attacks present a host of symptoms that can be easily mistaken for another ailment . Identifying the signs of a heart attack and seeking early intervention can be the difference between life or death. Here are the most common symptoms to look out for.
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How Can I Prevent A Silent Heart Attack
Nowâs the time to focus on heart-healthy habits, including stopping smoking or tobacco, eating a healthy diet, managing stress and exercising regularly.
Dr. Brittsan says one of the best preventative measures is having your vital signs checked.
âIf you never check your blood pressure, youâll never know itâs elevated,â she said. Blood pressure numbers of less than 120/80 mm Hg are considered within the normal range, according to the American Heart Association.
Plenty of affordable devices available allow you to check your blood pressure at home. Dr. Brittsan recommends one that uses an arm cuff, making sure itâs correctly sized.
For people that have a family history of heart disease, another important test is a heart scan that measures coronary artery calcium to find evidence of plaque disease before a silent heart attack happens.
Dr. Brittsan stresses the importance of consulting your doctor before a heart condition worsens.
âWhen people say, âI feel fine and donât need to go to the doctor,â just because you feel fine doesnât necessarily mean youâre OK,â she said.
When To Call The Doctor
If you have any signs of heart disease, call your health care provider right away. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms go away or dismiss them as nothing.
- You have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack
- You know you have angina and have chest pain that doesn’t go away after 5 minutes of rest or after taking nitroglycerine
- You think you may be having a heart attack
- You become extremely short of breath
- You think you may have lost consciousness
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Q& a: What Signs Of Heart Disease Can A Test Detect
Testing can reveal markers for heart disease that have no visible symptoms, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A coronary calcium scan provides a picture of buildup in the arteries. All these tests can help identify high-risk individuals who can be treated appropriately before they have a serious event, says Johns Hopkins expert Parag Joshi, M.D.
Johns Hopkins research has found that an ultrafast CT scanner can accurately sort out which people with chest pain need an invasive procedure, such as bypass surgery, to restore blood flow to the heart.
Less Direct Signs of Heart Problems
Some problems may or may not have clear links to heart disease but are worth a heart checkup, especially if you have other risk factors for heart disease.
Sleep apnea. This temporary collapse of an airway puts a halt to breathing during sleep and has been linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack.
Trouble achieving or maintaining an erection. Though men often dont connect bedroom problems to the heart, erectile dysfunction can be a very early sign of the arterial damage of heart disease. A problem with your blood vessels in one area of the body is associated with blood vessel problems in another area, says Joshi.
Fatigue Is Associated With Diminished Cardiovascular Response To Anticipatory Stress In Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
- 1Laboratory of Behavioral Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Palanga, Lithuania
- 2School of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
- 3Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
Background: Fatigue and psychophysiological reactions to mental stress are known to be problematic in coronary artery disease patients. Currently, studies exploring the relationship between fatigue and cardiovascular reactivity to stress are scarce and inconsistent. The current study aimed to investigate the links between cardiovascular response to mental stress and fatigue in CAD patients after acute coronary syndrome .
Methods: The cross-sectional study investigated 142 CAD patients within 23 weeks after recent myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris. Fatigue symptoms were measured using Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory 20-items, while cardiovascular reactivity to stress was evaluated during Trier Social Stress Test . In addition, participants completed psychometric measures, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and the Type D Scale-14. Multivariable linear regression analyses were completed to evaluate associations between fatigue and cardiovascular response to TSST, while controlling for confounders.
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Nausea Or Lack Of Appetite
Nausea, indigestion, vomiting, or abdominal swelling can occur during a heart attack. Sometimes the poor circulation due to a weak heart or blocked arteries can cause these symptoms. This is common in women, and often gets worse with activity and improves with rest. If you are experiencing nausea or lack of appetite that follows this pattern, see your doctor.
Reason : Are Beta Blockers Making You Tired
The anti-adrenaline effect of beta-blockers the very quality that makes them valuable for treating heart failure can make patients feel tired.
Most patients do not experience any side effects. But if you feel fatigued after starting your medicine, its important to do two things: Keep taking your medicine, and report your symptoms to your doctor. If you stop suddenly, you may risk having rebound adverse effects.
According to Dr. Taylor, understanding why beta-blockers must be taken often makes it easier to deal with this side effect. Once patients know the drug will improve their heart function, help them stay out of the hospital and live longer, most are willing to put up with a little fatigue, he says.
You and your physician can try to figure out if the symptoms are really a side effect or due to your heart problem or even possibly due to an unrelated condition such as sleep apnea. Usually, well adjust the medication dose or switch to an alternative medication and check if the side effects go away with time.
If he is able to wean the patient down or off the drug, and fatigue remains a problem, the beta-blocker is not to blame.
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What Are Some Common Signs And Symptoms Of Heart Disease
One thing to make clear from the start: Numerous heart disease symptoms are actually pretty vague, meaning they could be caused by any number of things other than heart disease. Which can make things tricky, or even lull you into thinking nothing serious is going on.
Take fatigue: In our go-go, 24-7 world, everyones feeling a little tired, right? And while some types of heart disease, such as heart failure, can make you feel extremely fatigued, being exhausted or rundown doesnt automatically mean you have a heart disorder.
So how do you know when its nothing and when its something? Never write off persistent or unusual fatigue as nothing to worry about. Were talking about feeling worn out after climbing a single flight of stairs, or trouble sleeping despite your exhaustion. Listen to your body, and if something does not feel normal or right, pay attention.
Ok, lets get started. Well break down signs and symptoms by types of heart disease. As youll see, some types of heart disease share similar symptoms.
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How Will Your Doctor Treat Fatigue
Your doctors recommended treatment plan will depend on whats causing your fatigue. To make a diagnosis, they will likely ask you questions about:
- the nature of your fatigue, including when it started and whether it gets better or worse at certain times
- other symptoms that youve been experiencing
- other medical conditions that you have
- your lifestyle and sources of stress
- medications that youre taking
If your doctor suspects you have an underlying medical condition thats causing your fatigue, they may order some medical tests. For example, they may order blood or urine tests.
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Resting Baseline Measures Of Si Ci Bp And Hr In Relation To Fatigue
Fatigue did not predict MAP or HR . As summarized in Tables 2, ,3,3, ,4,4, and and5,5, fatigue was a significant predictor of SI and CI. Fatigue uniquely accounted for approximately 6% of the variance in SI and 8% of the variance in CI. The fatigue effects were independent of demographic variables such as age, ethnicity, sex, or screening BP. For explaining SI as well as CI, fatigue nearly doubled the variance explained by the demographic variables . Adding depressive symptoms in a third step did not significantly increase the predictive capacity of the model, nor did it detract from the power of fatigue to explain CI and SI. Figure 1 graphically portrays the fatigue effects on hemodynamic functioning at rest.
What Do These Early Symptoms Typically Look Like
Dr. Xu says the majority of patients experience somewhat typical symptoms, such as radiating chest pain, heaviness or discomfort, heart palpitations, cold sweats, and shortness of breath. Others — women more so than men — will experience some atypical symptoms as well, which may include fatigue, a general sense of unease, vague discomfort, back or abdominal pain and declining stamina. Both types of symptoms can be experienced months before an actual heart attack occurs.
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Chronic Fatigue & Heart Disease
If youre chronically tired, this can be a sign of many other heart problems. Fatigue can be a sign of heart valve problems or heart failure. Also, studies have linked chronic fatigue with several heart problems. For example, many people who experience chronic fatigue also have left ventricular dysfunction. This is a heart condition where your left ventricle doesnt pump blood properly. The left ventricle is the thickest heart chamber and is responsible for pumping blood full of oxygen to your organs. Congestive heart failure commonly follows left ventricular dysfunction. Therefore, its important to talk to our womens health care provider if youre feeling extra tired without an explanation.
Could Chronic Fatigue Mean Im At Risk Of A Heart Attack
Ever wonder why you have to fill out an intake form with symptoms and updates to your medical history every time you come in for an appointment? Your responses can help your provider zero in on what may be linked to the primary reason you came in, even if these seemingly innocuous questions dont mean that much to you. If you report fatigue, your provider may ask when it comes on, how often you feel fatigued, and how much it impairs your ability to complete everyday tasks.
For instance, if you feel tired all the time and struggle to complete daily activities that were once easy for you, like carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or walking, that may be a sign of something more serious. It could mean that your heart cant pump enough blood to meet your bodys demands. Your body first sends blood to the most vital organs , meaning that others, especially muscles in your limbs, move down the priority list. This could explain why some cases of fatigue indicate a heart concern.
If your doctor has any concern that your fatigue could be linked to something more serious than general tiredness, he or she can delve further, possibly through diagnostic tests or referring you to a specialist. If you are diagnosed with CFS, you doctor should monitor your heart health as a part of your ongoing treatment plan for the condition.
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Fatigue Can Be A Sign Of Heart Valve Problems
Some heart conditions have no recognizable symptoms until they have progressed. Unexplained fatigue can be a sign of heart problems such as heart valve disease. Patients often fail to recognize small clues and changes that may point to heart trouble.
If you have heart valve disease, its important to schedule and attend regular checkups to get the proper treatment and monitoring.
Dont Wait For Another Sign: Talk To Your Doctor About Your Heart Disease Symptoms
If youre noticing one or more of these seven symptoms, then the best place to start is by making an appointment with a primary care doctor to have your heart checked out and tested.
Your primary care doctor can diagnose and treat hundreds of conditions. They can help you build your heart wellness by working with you to create a tailored treatment plan that includes tips for healthy eating and exercises for heart health. And if specialist help is needed, your doctor can connect you with an expert in cardiology for more testing and treatment.
Theres no doubt that symptoms of heart disease can be concerning, especially if youre not sure whats behind them or what the next steps are. But answers, care and treatment are available to help keep your heart as healthy as it can be so you can live your best life.
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