How do you know if you have heart problems?

What are the symptoms of heart disease? Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Arrhythmia: Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations).

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What are the signs of an unhealthy heart?

6 Signs of an Unhealthy Heart
  • Chest pain. Poor blood flow to the heart can cause pain or discomfort in the chest, a condition called angina. ...
  • Fatigue. ...
  • Heart palpitations. ...
  • Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in the arms or legs. ...
  • Shortness of breath. ...
  • Swelling in your legs, ankles or feet.

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How can I check if I have heart problems?

Besides blood tests and a chest X-ray, tests to diagnose heart disease can include:
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). ...
  • Holter monitoring. ...
  • Echocardiogram. ...
  • Exercise tests or stress tests. ...
  • Cardiac catheterization. ...
  • Heart (cardiac) CT scan. ...
  • Heart (cardiac) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

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What are the 4 signs your heart is quietly failing?

Warning signs and symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling, fatigue, loss of appetite, and others.

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What are 3 signs your heart is failing?

Shortness of breath with activity or when lying down. Fatigue and weakness. Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Rapid or irregular heartbeat.

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How to Detect Heart Disease Symptoms | Tufts Medical Center

29 related questions found

What is Stage 1 heart failure?

Stage I is considered “pre-heart failure.” High-risk individuals include patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and coronary artery disease. A family history of alcohol abuse, rheumatic fever, cardiotoxic drug therapy, or cardiomyopathy can increase your risk.

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At what age does your heart start failing?

How Your Heart Changes with Age. People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to suffer a heart attack, to have a stroke, or to develop coronary heart disease (commonly called heart disease) and heart failure.

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What does a weakened heart feel like?

As a result, people with heart failure often feel weak (especially in their arms and legs), tired and have difficulty performing ordinary activities such as walking, climbing stairs or carrying groceries.

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What does a heart blockage feel like?

A completely blocked coronary artery will cause a heart attack. The classic signs and symptoms of a heart attack include crushing chest pain or pressure, shoulder or arm pain, shortness of breath, and sweating. Women may have less typical symptoms, such as neck or jaw pain, nausea and fatigue.

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What is the best test to check for heart problems?

An ECG reads your heart's electrical impulses. It shows how well your heart is beating. Small sticky dots and wire leads are put on your chest, arms and legs. The leads are attached to an ECG machine which records the electrical impulses and prints them out on paper.

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How can I check if my heart is OK at home?

You can check for heart disease at home by measuring your pulse rate and your blood pressure if you have a blood pressure monitor. You can also monitor yourself for symptoms of heart disease, such as: Chest pain, pressure, discomfort, or tightness. Being short of breath.

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How can I test my heart at home?

To measure your pulse on your own:
  1. Get a watch with a second hand.
  2. Place your index and middle finger of your hand on the inner wrist of the other arm, just below the base of the thumb. ...
  3. Count the number of taps you feel in 10 seconds.
  4. Multiply that number by 6 to find out your heart rate for 1 minute.

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Can you tell if your heart is healthy?

Having normal blood pressure is a sign of a healthy heart. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. High blood pressure is a systolic pressure of 130 or higher, or diastolic pressure of 90 or higher, that stays high over time.

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At what age should you have your heart checked?

In reality, regular examinations and screenings related to heart health should begin at 20 years old, with most tests being performed every 2 to 4 years. Such measures can often clue both patient and physician into any potential heart problems before serious health complications occur.

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Can you have mini heart attacks?

You can have a mild heart attack and may not even be aware that it's happening. There are two types of “minor” heart attacks: Non-ST Elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

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How can I check if my arteries are clogged?

A CT coronary angiogram can reveal plaque buildup and identify blockages in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. Prior to the test, a contrast dye is injected into the arm to make the arteries more visible. The test typically takes 30 minutes to complete.

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What are the symptoms of a heart problem in a woman?

When to Call 9-1-1. In some women, the first signs and symptoms of heart disease can be: Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Fluttering feelings in the chest (palpitations)

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Can you have heart failure and not know it?

Heart failure can be acute, like after a heart attack, or it may develop over time, for example because of permanently high blood pressure or coronary artery disease. Depending on how severe heart failure is, it may go unnoticed, only cause minor symptoms, or really affect your physical fitness.

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What happens when your heart starts to feel weird?

Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TAY-shuns) are feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart. Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless.

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Do you sleep a lot with heart failure?

If you wake up feeling not refreshed, you have daytime sleepiness or if you need to curtail your daytime activity because of lack of energy, these could be signs your heart failure isn't being managed as well as it could be, Dr. Freeman says.

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What are 2 signs or symptoms of heart failure?

You may have trouble breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swollen legs, neck veins that stick out, and sounds from fluid built up in your lungs. Your doctor will check for these and other signs of heart failure. A test called an echocardiogram is often the best test to diagnose your heart failure.

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How long can you live with early signs of heart failure?

How long can you live with congestive heart failure? In general, more than half of all people diagnosed with congestive heart failure will survive for 5 years. About 35% will survive for 10 years.

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Do I have early heart failure?

Main symptoms

The most common symptoms of heart failure are: breathlessness – this may occur after activity or at rest; it may be worse when you're lying down, and you may wake up at night needing to catch your breath. fatigue – you may feel tired most of the time and find exercise exhausting.

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What is pre heart failure?

Stage A (pre-heart failure) means you're at a high risk of developing heart failure because you have a family history of congestive heart failure or you have one or more of these medical conditions: Hypertension. Diabetes.

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What is a cardiac cough?

What is a heart cough? In heart failure, your heart muscle has dysfunction that might be due to weak contraction or stiffness. This can allow fluid to back up in yout lungs, creating a condition called pulmonary edema. Your body coughs persistently in an effort to eliminate the excess fluid.

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