11 signs you might have heart disease

Will that pain wear off, or is it time to see your doctor or even call an ambulance ? BHF Professor David Newby highlights the 11 symptoms that you need to take badly .

Around 11 per penny of men and nine per cent of women in the UK have been diagnosed with some form of kernel or circulatory disease. But what symptoms can we look out for that might indicate a electric potential heart problem ? David Newby, BHF John Wheatley Professor of Cardiology at the BHF Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Edinburgh, tells us more about 11 signs that could mean it ’ s time to see a sophisticate .

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1. Chest pain

It ’ s the classic signboard of a heart attack, so far many people don ’ t recognize this could be a checkup emergency .
Professor Newby says : “ If you have chest pain and you feel highly ailing, you should dial 999 and get an ambulance angstrom soon as possible. If it ’ s a affection attack, it ’ mho normally described as a ponderousness, concentration or blackmail in the chest ; people will often describe it as ‘ an elephant sit down on my chest ’ or ‘ it felt like a rigorous band around my chest of drawers, ’ that classify of constricting impression .
“ If thorax pains occur when you are exerting yourself, but go away when you stop, that would suggest it ’ s more likely to be angina pectoris. That would silent mean you should go and see a doctor, but you don ’ t have to call 999. ”
Professor Newby advises that breast pains accompanied by feeling extremely ailing, mean it is probably the right time to call 999 and request an ambulance .

2. Feeling sick

obviously not every bout of nausea equals a heart attack – but if you ’ re getting pain vitamin a well, alarm bells should ring. Professor Newby says : “ If you experience intense chest pain even when you are equitable sitting around doing nothing and you are besides feeling nauseated, that is the time to call for an ambulance. ”
If you ’ re getting some discomfort, but not intense pain, equally well as feeling ill, call NHS 111 for advice .

3. Stomach pain or indigestion

An indigestion-type pain or a cauterize sense in your chest or abdomen can be a sign of a heart attack or relate heart problem. Professor Newby says : “ Because the heart, the esophagus [ the enactment between your mouth and stomach ] and the stomach are all lying right following to each other, the challenge, for both members of the public and doctors, is that a bite or indigestion-type pain and center annoyance can be difficult to disentangle. You could call NHS 111 for advice – they have sealed algorithms they apply, but they aren ’ t perfective as there are no difficult and fast rules that apply to everyone. ”

4. Feeling sweaty

Working up a sweat when you ’ ve been to the gymnasium or because it ’ s a in truth blistering day, is nothing to worry about. But feeling hot and clammy along with chest of drawers pains is a sign that you should call an ambulance .

5. Leg pain

Professor Newby says : “ If you get a absorbing, cramping sensation in your calves when you are walking, it might be deserving seeing your doctor, as that can be a marker of PAD ( peripheral arterial disease ). It ’ mho most common in smokers and people who have diabetes. ” Make an appointment with your GP.

6. Arm pain

You might not associate arm pain with your heart, but it can be a sign of a heart attack. Professor Newby says : “ If your trouble is going down the weapon, specially the left arm, or into the neck that makes it more likely to be heart-related than indigestion. If it doesn ’ t go away, or if you know you have kernel disease and have used your GTN ( glyceryl trinitrate ) spray two or three times to no discernible effect, you should be seeking emergency aesculapian advice. ” Call 999 for an ambulance .

7. Jaw or back pain

Professor Newby says : “ With kernel attacks, it can tied happen that the pain is felt in the jaw, or the back. Again, if it doesn ’ t go away, call 999 and ask for an ambulance. ” There is some testify that women ’ sulfur symptoms are more likely to vary from ‘ classical ’ chest pain, and we know that women are less likely to seek checkup attention and treatment .

8. Choking sensation

Professor Newby says : “ The word ‘ angina ’ actually means ‘ choking ’, and sometimes the concentration or pain can be up in the throat. People tend to describe a ‘ qualify ’ or ‘ choking ’ sensation. ” If the impression continues, and you haven ’ metric ton previously been diagnosed with heart problem, you should call NHS 111 – but if you have some of the other signs listed hera deoxyadenosine monophosphate well, it might be safer to call an ambulance .

9. Swollen ankles

Professor Newby says : “ This shouldn ’ metric ton be ignored, particularly if the ankles get very big, as it can be a marker of heart failure, but it is besides identical common and has lots of other causes. It could just as easily be from tablets you are taking – for example, lineage coerce medication can lead to swollen ankles. ”
If you ’ re getting well ankles, it ’ mho worth making an appointment with your GP .

10. Extreme fatigue

Feeling tired all the time can be a symptom of heart failure, angstrom well as of other conditions. Professor Newby says : “ Many of my patients tell me they ’ ra tired, whether they ’ ve got heart bankruptcy or not, whether they ’ ve got angina pectoris or not ! It ’ s a difficult one, because it ’ s so non-specific. ”
If you ’ re banal and you ’ ve been working long hours or staying up late, it ’ s credibly not your affection – but if you start experiencing extreme fatigue and your life style hasn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate changed, it ’ s a effective theme to chat to your GP .

11. Irregular heartbeat 

Professor Newby says : “ This is a hot subject at the moment, there ’ s a fortune of focus on diagnosing irregular heartbeats. I did an audited account of the heart monitors we give out to people for investigation and from about 700 people, we found alone about 20 that had atrial fibrillation [ which can increase your risk of stroke ]. The huge majority of people just had extra ectopic beats, which are normally harmless.

“ I would suggest that a alternate heartbeat is normally benign and nothing to get excessively concerned by. Being mindful of your own blink of an eye is very quite common and in itself nothing to get anxious about .
“ If your heart is going identical fast and jumping about erratically then that ’ s when you should see your GP. If you feel like this and then you experience blackouts, call an ambulance. ”
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