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.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Associated With Fatigue
Fatigue is a symptom that usually has some underlying cause. Fatigue may be described by people in different ways, and may include some combination include weakness, lack of energy, constantly tired or exhausted, lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating, and/or difficulty starting and completing tasks.
Other symptoms such as fainting or loss of consciousness , near-syncope, rapid heartbeat , dizziness or vertigo may also be described as part of the fatigue experienced by the affected individual. The presence of these symptoms may actually help lead a health care practitioner to discover the underlying cause of the fatigue.
The potential causes of fatigue are numerous. The majority of diseases known to man often list fatigue or malaise as possible associated symptoms. This is complicated by the fact that fatigue can occur in normal healthy individuals as a normal response to physical and mental exertion. However, normal fatigue may begin to become abnormal if it becomes chronic, extreme or prolonged fatigue usually this occurs when a person experiences chronic or prolonged physical or mental exertion. For example, unusually hard physical or mental exertion for one day can result in normal fatigue that may last about a day or sometimes more, depending on the exertion level, while daily unusually hard physical or mental exertion may result in prolonged fatigue . This latter situation may develop into abnormal fatigue.
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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 its 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
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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.
Heart Failuresigns And Symptoms
Heart failure is a condition in which the heart fails to function properly. The terms âheart failureâ and âcongestive heart failure â donât mean that the heart has actually âfailedâ or stopped but mean one or more chambers of the heart âfailâ to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through them.
Heart failure is brought on by a variety of underlying diseases and health problems.
Your condition may involve the left side, the right side or both sides of the heart. Each side has two chambers:
- An atrium or upper chamber
- A ventricle or lower chamber
Any one of these four chambers may not be able to keep up with the volume of blood flowing through it.
Two types of heart dysfunction can lead to heart failure, including:
- Systolic Heart Failure This is the most common cause of heart failure and occurs when the heart is weak and enlarged. The muscle of the left ventricle loses some of its ability to contract or shorten. In turn, it may not have the muscle power to pump the amount of oxygenated and nutrient-filled blood the body needs.
- Diastolic Failure The muscle becomes stiff and loses some of its ability to relax. As a result, the affected chamber has trouble filling with blood during the rest period that occurs between each heartbeat. Often the walls of the heart thicken, and the size of the left chamber may be normal or reduced.
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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.
What Is Microvascular Angina
Angina is any chest pain that occurs when your heart muscle doesnt get enough blood to meet its work demand, a condition called ischemia.
The most common source of angina is obstructive coronary disease, which happens when one of the hearts arteries is blocked. People with this type of angina might feel chest pain during exercise or exertion if not enough blood is supplied to the working heart muscle.
But according to the American Heart Association, up to 50 percent of women with angina symptoms dont have a blocked artery. In fact, they may not even have chest pain, though they may have other symptoms.
They may feel severely short of breath. They might feel extreme fatigue, which rest doesnt make better. They may have pain with exertion in their back, jaw or arm with no chest pain. They might have nausea and indigestion, says Michos.
These women should be evaluated for microvascular angina. Microvascular angina can occur when the hearts tiniest arteries are not able to supply enough oxygen-rich blood due to spasm or cellular dysfunction.
It can be difficult to diagnose microvascular angina because an angiogram a specialized X-ray of the heart wont show obstruction or blockages in these tiny arteries, and symptoms like nausea and indigestion mimic other illnesses. Often, your doctor will perform a stress test to monitor the hearts function during exercise to make a diagnosis.
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Memory And Concentration Problems
Memory aids, like organizers and calendars, can help with memory problems. For people with ME/CFS who have concentration problems, some doctors have prescribed stimulant medications, like those typically used to treat Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder . While stimulants might help improve concentration for some patients with ME/CFS, they might lead to the push-and-crash cycle and worsen symptoms. Push-and-crash cycles are when someone with ME/CFS is having a good day and tries to push to do more than they would normally attempt .
Function Of The Kidneys
The primary function of the kidneys is filtering the blood. Anywhere from 130 to 150 quarts of blood flow through the kidneys, yielding one or two quarts of urine. In this way, the kidneys help remove waste products, toxins, and excess liquids from the body.
They are part of the circulatory system because of the major arteries and vessels leading to the kidneys. Also, theyre part of the excretory system tasked with removing wastes from the body.
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High Blood Pressure And Fatigue
High blood pressure can make your heart work harder and increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. either have high blood pressure or take medications to treat it. Your risk for high blood pressure increases with age.
High blood pressure is another condition that may make you feel extremely tired. Though high blood pressure is often called a silent killer, because it often doesnt cause any symptoms, some people do feel extreme fatigue. Some signs you might have high blood pressure include fatigue, lightheadedness, feeling weak, and shortness of breath.
Also, you can also feel extremely tired due to heart conditions that may be caused by high blood pressure. For example, high blood pressure can lead to coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, heart failure, and enlarged heart, all of which may cause fatigue.
When you come in for a health assessment from our womens health care providers, we screen for many different conditions to help find underlying causes of your symptoms. We check your blood pressure and can help you find treatment solutions to reduce your blood pressure and the serious risks associated with it.
Manage Or Prevent Heart Disease
People with stage 4 kidney disease have a high risk of having heart disease. In fact, most people with kidney disease do not die of kidney failure they die of heart disease. Why? Because, in addition to kidney disease, they usually have one or more of the following health risks:
You can help slow or possibly prevent heart problems by following your treatment plan. Ask your healthcare professional what you need to do to keep your heart healthy.
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What Do The Kidneys Do
The kidneys have several jobs. One of the most important is helping your body eliminate toxins. The kidneys filter your blood and send waste out of your body in urine.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of your fist. They sit under your ribcage, toward your back. Most people have two working kidneys, but people can live well as long as at least one is working correctly.
When the kidneys dont work effectively, waste products build up in your body. If this happens, you might feel sick. In the most serious situations, kidney failure can be life-threatening. However, many people can manage kidney failure with the right treatment.
Is Your Racing Heart A Sign Of Supraventricular Tachycardia
Approximately 2 in every 1,000 people have SVT, a type of arrhythmia that can often be cured. Learn more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
If youve ever experienced a sudden racing heartbeat, you know how unsettling the feeling can be.
While there are many potential causes of a fast heartbeat, one of the more common forms is supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT.
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SVT symptoms heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness can be alarming, but the condition is usually treatable and can often be cured, says Michigan Medicine electrophysiologist Rakesh Latchamsetty, M.D.
First, he says, the type of arrhythmia responsible for the symptoms needs to be determined since different arrhythmias can be treated very differently and some can be more serious than others.
A person experiencing a rapid heartbeat should consult with their physician, and anyone experiencing unrelenting palpitations or severe symptoms should be seen in the emergency room, says Latchamsetty.
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How Is Heart Valve Disease Treated
A heart valve problem can be serious if its not treated. Although you cant undo damage to a heart valve, you can treat the issue.
Heart valve disease treatments depend on the underlying cause and may include:
- Protecting your valve from further damage.
- Taking medications.
- Having surgery or invasive procedures if necessary.
- Seeing your heart doctor for regular visits.
The decision to prescribe medical treatment, surgical repair or surgical replacement depends on several factors, including:
- The type of valve disease.
- The severity of the damage.
- Your medical history.
If youre pregnant and have heart valve disease, you can get extra rest and/or take certain medicines that are safe for your baby.
If you know about your valve disease before pregnancy, you should ask your healthcare provider if any tests or visits with a cardiologist are recommended before trying to become pregnant. This can help ensure that you are treated appropriately before and during pregnancy. If you have a severe valve problem, your doctor may recommend valve repair or replacement before pregnancy.
Surgical repair or replacement
Heart valve disease is a mechanical problem in the opening or closing of the leaflets, and you may eventually need surgery to repair or replace your valve. Some infants and children who are born with a valve problem need surgery during childhood.
Often, valve surgery may be combined with other procedures to fully treat your heart disease.
What Our Patients Say
As of March 2021, I have been a HerKare patient for 3 years. I have driven from the Austin to Ft. Worth and Southlake since March 2018. In fact, today I attempted to drive to Southlake to see the provider, Dania Khoncarly, because she is so amazing, but the roads were too dangerous with the current ice storm in Texas, so I visited the Mansfield location instead as it was closer for me. The patient care has been nothing short of amazing. In fact, I cant imagine my life without HerKare. I struggled with hormone deficiency since 2003 until March 2018. The treatment plan provided by HerKare has positively impacted my way of life socially, emotionally, and physically. One of my closest friends now drives from Copperas Cove to the Mansfield location. I have several friends in my age group mid to late 40s & early 50s who would benefit from HerKare. I understand with our nation experiencing COVID, now might not be the time to open a new location, however, your services could positively impact the well-being of so many women. When the time is right, please open more HerKare locations!
Patient since March 2018
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Unusual Fatigue May Be Warning Symptom Of Heart Attack In Women
- Date:
- American Heart Association
- Summary:
- In a study of women who had heart attacks, symptoms such as unexplained fatigue or trouble sleeping were experienced as much as a month before the heart attack, indicating the possibility that acting on these advance symptoms could prevent an impending heart attack.
DALLAS, Nov. 4 In a study of women who had heart attacks, symptoms such as unexplained fatigue or trouble sleeping were experienced as much as a month before the heart attack, indicating the possibility that acting on these advance symptoms could prevent an impending heart attack. The study, one of the first comprehensive examinations of issues that might allow prevention of imminent heart attack in women, is reported in todays rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Since women reported experiencing early warning signs more than a month prior to the heart attack, this could allow time to treat these symptoms and to possibly delay or prevent the heart attack, said Jean C. McSweeney, Ph.D., R.N., lead author and a professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
Only 30 percent reported chest discomfort before their heart attack. They described the discomfort in terms like aching, tightness and pressure not pain, McSweeney said.
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More Tired By The Day And No Clue Why
As an active 45-year-old farmer, it was unusual for Scott to feel so tired and unmotivated. It took him some months to figure out why.
From growing up on a farm to running his own farm, Scotts the sort of bloke who usually gets up and goes.
So, when tiredness set in last September the sort he couldnt shake he knew something wasnt right. But he couldnt put his finger on what it was.
Just progressively I think I was getting more and more tired all the time, he says. And not just after exercising, but generally.
Id come home after work and after five minutes Id be asleep in the chair and just lacking energy and motivation, I think, to get a lot of my work done.
This went on for a few months, and to top it off he wasnt sleeping. I was continually waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning and feeling quite anxious I guess, and not being able to go back to sleep.
I did have a little sensation in the back of my throat, but didnt quite understand what it was. The sensation was there when he woke up, and got a little worse with exercise. Its like heartburn, but its not heartburn. Its not around your sternum, its more up the back of your neck.
He tried to manage his symptoms by resting a bit more, and delegating the farms most physical jobs to other people.
Still not 100%
I did think I was just unfit and probably pushed it a bit more biking, but I just seemed to be getting slower and slower and slower on my bike ride.
Doing pretty okay
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