What To Do If You Have One Or More Of These Symptoms
The most important thing to do if you have any of these symptoms is to get tested for indicators of heart health. It might seem far-fetched, but this is definitely a case of âbetter safe than sorry.â Even people with lifestyle habits conducive to heart health may be especially susceptible to heart disease due to genetics or other factors, and early detection may be key to applying the proper treatment.âYou donât even have to make a doctorâs appointment to at least get the ball rolling. For example, the imaware⢠Baseline Heart Health home test is an affordable home test that arrives confidentially in the mail and is supplied with an easy-to-use home blood-collection kit, as well as bio-bags and postage-paid shipping containers to return your blood cards to the lab for testing.
Once the lab analyzes your blood sample, it returns a report that measures seven key markers of heart health:
If any of these indicators fall outside of ânormalâ ranges, further testing may be recommended by your specialist.
While waiting for your test results, follow-up appointment, or if you just want to make some lifestyle adjustments to reduce your risk for heart disease, here are several things you can do to boost your heart health.
What Is My Dizziness Telling Me
Dizziness isnt all created equal. It can cause you to feel off balance, light-headed, faint or like youre spinning, a condition known as vertigo. Dizziness itself isnt a disease, but its often a symptom of an underlying health issue that may or may not be serious.
Dizziness tells you something is going on with your body, says Dr. Yvette Pellegrino, a family medicine physician at Beaufort Memorial Ladys Island Internal Medicine. It can be associated with a sudden drop in blood pressure, motion sickness and inner ear infections. It can also be a side effect of a medication youre taking.
Other health issues associated with dizziness include the following:
- Anxiety
- Multiple sclerosis
- Seizures
Getting to the root cause is important, especially if you experience dizziness frequently or it impacts your day-to-day activities. Always ask your doctor about dizziness associated with a medication. You should also see a doctor about dizziness if you experience a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit, weakness, hearing loss or other unusual symptoms.
Causes & Different Types Of Conditions
While cardiovascular disease can refer to a multitude of heart or blood vessel issues, heart problems are often caused by damage to the heart or blood vessels from atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty plaques within the arteries. Plaque buildup thickens and stiffens the artery walls, which can cause a reduction in blood flow through the arteries to other organs and tissues within the body. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease, and it can be caused by an unhealthy diet, a lack of exercise, obesity, and smoking.
Heart disease and other heart-related conditions are also closely linked to genetics, but also an individuals surrounding environment and lifestyle choices. Some heart-related conditions an individual can develop include heart disease, heart failure, an aneurysm, peripheral artery disease, heart arrhythmia, sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, stroke, valvular heart disease, heart infection, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart defects.
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Changes In Your Ability To Exercise
One big warning sign is lower exercise tolerance: You used to be able to walk up the stairs easily, but now you feel very breathless or even have to stop mid-way and take a break. That should be taken very seriously, Haythe warned.
I find as a physician, one of the most helpful questions when somebody comes in and says theyre breathless, I say, think back: Could you do that earlier this summer or last summer, and now you cant? Hayes said.
If so, it may be time for a cardiac evaluation.
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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Vomiting Or Stomach Pain
If a patient experiences intense stomach pains, and they begin to feel nauseated or begin to vomit, this could be an early warning sign of an impending heart attack. Statistics indicate that women are more likely to experience vomiting, indigestion and stomach pain as precursors to a heart attack, however, men can experience these symptoms as well. The one essential thing the patient should do is to keep a mental record or to document all of the symptoms they are experiencing so they can alert medical professionals of these symptoms in case it is early warning signs of a heart attack, and not a stomach virus. Specifically, if an individual vomits and experiences consistent chest pain that lasts for a few minutes or more, they may very well be experiencing a heart attack. In this case, the patient should call 9-1-1 immediately to get emergency help and follow the operator’s instructions. In the event of a heart attack, every second counts between life and death.
What Is Pots And Why Does It Cause Fatigue
POTS is a group of symptoms resulting from dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This branch of the nervous system regulates functions we dont consciously control like sweating and blood circulation.
In people with POTS, more blood collects in the lower body when standing upright. The heart beats faster to pump it up to the brain, but with little success. The causes of POTS are unknown, but the problem is thought to lie in the communication breakdown between the brain and the cardiovascular system.
POTS-related fatigue is physical in nature and the mechanism behind it is not fully understood. It may have several causes, including your body working harder to move the blood.
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What Medications Treat Heart Failure
Medications help reduce the symptoms of congestive heart failure and can actually improve heart muscle function. There are several main classes of medications that are used for treating a weak heart muscle. Your physician will choose medications based on your symptoms and whether your heart needs to be strengthened or relaxed. The types of medications commonly prescribed for heart failure include:
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.
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Possible Heart Symptoms Never To Ignore
If you notice any of the symptoms discussed in this slide show, see your doctor or go to an emergency department right away. If you have any risk factors for heart disease it is especially important to pay attention to your body and get any symptoms checked out by a doctor. Getting prompt medical attention may save your life!
REFERENCES:
- American Heart Association: “Warning Signs of Heart Failure.”
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America : “How Can I Tell If I’m Having a Panic Attack Or a Heart Attack?”
Reason : Your Heart Needs Exercise
Your instinct may be to baby a heart damaged by heart failure, but the opposite is true.
Aerobic exercise strengthens all muscles in the body, including the heart, says Cardiac Rehabilitation Director Erik Van Iterson, PhD, MS.
A heart that pumps more strongly increases the delivery of oxygenated blood throughout the body, which your body needs to generate energy and battle fatigue. You can actually make yourself worse by doing nothing.
A cardiac rehabilitation program and guided exercise training therapy can put you on the right track, both physically and mentally. All heart failure patients need cardiac rehab, he says.
If you were not raised in a culture that promoted exercise, you may find the concept intimidating. Dr. Van Iterson emphasizes that any exercise you do will be beneficial.
Exercise means different things to different people. There is no one-size-fits-all model to follow, he says.
Attending a cardiac rehab program enables you to be assessed for the type of exercise that will be safe based on your age, experience, overall condition and the condition of your heart. You may never have thought that walking around your neighborhood would be beneficial, but if you are for example in your mid-70s, have heart failure and have never exercised before, it will be, says Dr. Van Iterson.
Be patient and stay motivated. You wont feel better overnight. It may take weeks or months of consistent exercise to feel the difference, says Dr. Van Iterson.
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Is Extreme Fatigue A Sign Of A Heart Problem
If fatigue has become just another aspect of your waking hours, it could be a sign of a heart problem. Extreme fatigue can signal heart failure or, less commonly, coronary artery disease . We highly recommend that you seek medical attention if you feel an abnormal amount of fatigue throughout the day to either rule out heart failure or get treatment before it progresses.
When Youre Tired Of Being Tired
If fatigue is affecting your quality of life, its time to talk to your doctor. Tracking your daily sleep and activity levels can help you present him or her with a better overall picture of your condition, especially if your symptoms are vague. If you dont have a fitness or smartwatch, consider downloading a phone app like Sharecare, available for iOS and Android.
Medical City Healthcare provides comprehensive emergency services across North Texas.
At Medical City Healthcare, were dedicated to the care and improvement of human life. So, we hope youll Take Care!
For more information, call our Ask a Nurse hotline 24/7 or use Find a Doctor online.
You can also get care for minor injuries or illness at CareNow Urgent Care or visit Medical City Virtual Care for non-emergency medical treatment from your computer or smartphone.
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After You Call Emergency Services
When you call emergency services, the dispatcher may ask you about the medicines you take and your allergies. If you dont currently take a blood thinner and you arent allergic to aspirin, the dispatcher may advise you to chew an aspirin while youre waiting on medical attention. If you have nitroglycerin tablets, you may also wish to use these as directed by your doctor to reduce chest pain.
If you have a list of medications you currently take or any information about your medical history, you may wish to take this information with you. It can speed your medical care.
Heart Disease Warning Signs
Heart symptoms may not always be explicit so do not ignore any potential cardiac warning signs. What are the warning signs of heart disease? Some warning signs not to ignore include: shortness of breath, heartburn, muscle soreness, painful hiccups, neck or upper back pain, or other symptoms discussed in this slide show. People with known heart disease or significant risk factors such as people over age 65, strong family history of heart disease, obesity, smokers, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes should pay extra attention to any possible cardiac symptoms.
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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.
Top Warning Signs That You May Have Heart Problems
Does heart disease run in your family? Do you have a history of eating unhealthy foods and exercising only intermittently? Are you worried that you might be at risk for experiencing heart problems? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then continue reading to discover the warning signs of heart problems so that you can stop problems where they start or even before they begin. If you are ready to change some unhealthy habits now in the service of helping your heart be the healthiest it can be, then let’s get started with learning about these major warning signs.
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Stress Effects On Bp Hr Ci And Si In Relation To Fatigue
As seen in , there was a significant stress effect for MAP and heart rate such that HR increased significantly from baseline to speech preparation to speech delivery . Mean arterial pressure increased significantly from baseline to preparation to speaking . No significant differences were found in HR or BP response between the various fatigue groups, nor was there a significant group-by-period interaction observed for MAP or HR.
Mean arterial pressure and heart rate responses error bars indicate SEM. A, Mean arterial pressure at baseline, during speech preparation, and during speaking periods. The high-fatigue group shows a significantly higher MAP than the moderate- and low-fatigue groups. There was no group × task interaction. B, Heart rate at baseline, during speech preparation, and during speaking periods. All 3 measures increased significantly in response to the stressor from baseline to preparation to speaking.
As seen in , there were significant stress effects on SI and on CI . There was also a significant effect of fatigue on SI and CI . The high-fatigue group had significantly lower levels of SI than the moderate-fatigue group or the low-fatigue group . No significant differences were found between moderate- and low-fatigue groups. No significant group-by-period interactions were observed.
Fatigue An Early Sign Of Heart Attack
Unusual fatigue and sleeplessness might be early warning signs of a heart attack in women, a study suggests. The study, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, surveyed 515 women who had heart attacks and found that 95 percent had such symptoms as much as a month before they were stricken.
Chest pains can be early indicator of a heart attack, but 43 percent of the women in the study said they never experienced chest discomfort, said researcher Jean C. McSweeney.
The study is the first time researchers have identified fatigue and sleeplessness as possible early warning signs of a heart attack in women.
If we can get women to recognize the symptoms early, we can get them treatment and prevent or delay a heart attack, said McSweeney, a professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Thats why the early symptoms are significant.
The researchers said they do not know whether the findings also apply to men, who tend to have somewhat different symptoms when a heart attack strikes.
InsertArtThe study surveyed women ages 29 to 97 who had been released four to six months earlier from five hospitals in Arkansas, North Carolina and Ohio after suffering a heart attack. They were shown a list of 70 symptoms they may have experienced during the months leading up the heart attack and were asked to rate them based on frequency and severity.
The women had more than just ordinary fatigue and sleeplessness.
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