According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 610,000 people die from heart disease in the United States alone each year. Both men and women are affected by heart disease for various reasons related to certain lifestyles. However, there are many more symptoms and warning signs to look out for than just letting us know about heart disease.
Clamotion has put together 8 very common warning signs of heart disease that you should watch out for if you notice them.
- Pain spreading to the arm
Many men suffer from pain in the left hand, while women suffer equally in one or both hands. Some women reported experiencing unusual pain in their elbows before they had a heart attack. This is because the pain in your heart travels to the spinal cord, where many of the nerves in your body are connected, and your brain gets confused and thinks your arm is actually hurting when it’s not. - Unrelenting cough
A cough can be caused by a variety of problems, and it can be a symptom of cardiovascular disease. A persistent cough that produces pink fluid containing blood is very common in heart failure. However, coughing is a symptom of more serious symptoms such as shortness of breath or sudden shortness of breath. - Extreme and unusual levels of anxiety
Several studies have shown that people who experience excessive anxiety early in life are more prone to heart disease. Anxiety can be caused by a very stressful lifestyle or various disorders such as panic disorder or phobic anxiety. Some of the effects of anxiety on your heart include tachycardia, increased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate. - Swollen legs, ankles and feet
When your heart isn’t pumping well, fluid leaks out of your blood vessels into surrounding tissues, causing your legs and feet to hurt the most because of gravity. This is called peripheral edema, and many people with this edema do not have heart disease. However, this is a common symptom among heart patients and you should be aware of it.