Saturday, March 14, 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.

Always discuss what you feel may be symptoms of heart disease with your doctor. You might not have one of any number of common heart problems, but if you are not sure, check it out before you end up with a heart attack. Let your doctor tell you if your symptoms are serious.

Here are some common symptoms: Feeling exhausted without apparent reason -- not being able to do a full day's work or even finish simple chores. You might have a loss of appetite, or even nausea with a bloated stomach feeling. Finding breathing labored or difficult without exertion is another sign. All of these should be reported to your doctor.

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.

If you are having any of these symptoms, or particularly if you are having multiple symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately. This is even more crucial if you are in a high risk category: smokers, excessive drinkers, substance abusers, or individuals with a genetic background of heart disease are all in a higher risk group. If you cannot reach your doctor, you should have a family member or friend drive you to the emergency room.

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.

If you are concerned about your symptoms, but don't feel like you are in immediate danger, at least call your doctor. On the other hand, if you are having the severe symptoms and you are becoming afraid - call 911 or get an immediate ride to the emergency room. Do not wait to see if the symptoms subside on their own. Time is of the essence!

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