DHAKA: Heart disease is not a single ailment or condition. It refers to a collection or a group of conditions in which the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart get damaged or the heart is not able to function in a normal way.

Heart disease takes years to progress and may begin to develop at a very young age. However, most people do not show any symptoms of heart diseases before they reach their 50s or 60s.

There are more than 60 different forms of heart disease, so the signs may not be the same in all conditions.

Here are the most common signs associated with heart disease, reports thehealthsite.com.

1. Shortness of breath (dyspnoea): Breathlessness or shortness of breath is commonly encountered in patients with heart disease or heart failure. It is also a warning sign of heart attack. Breathing difficulty while exercising or any other physical exertion may indicate a problem with the heart valves. But it can also be due to inflammation and weakening of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy) which results in improper contraction. 

2. Chest pain: Chest pain (angina) is a classic symptom of heart attack and coronary artery disease (CAD). In some cases, chest pain is associated with inflammation of the tissue covering the heart (pericardium). The type and duration of chest pain is also indicative of the underlying heart disease. Pain may be described as short-term, constant, stabbing or sharp. It can last for a few seconds or for hours together. 

3. Swelling of feet: Swelling in the feet and ankles is seen in people with congestive heart failure where the blood pumping capacity of the heart reduces. This affects the kidneys which respond by retaining more fluid in body. The fluid then accumulates in the feet and other parts of the body.

4. Cold sweat: A person who is likely to get a heart attack sooner may start sweating profusely without any physical exertion. Heart failure results in over activation of the sympathetic nervous system that causes sweating.

5. Tiredness or fatigue: Symptoms of heart disease also vary in men and women. One of the common symptoms of heart failure and heart attack in women is unexplained overall weakness and fatigue. Fatigue is also common in the elderly population or people with diabetes who suffer from heart disease.

6. Irregular pulse rate/palpitations: Strong heart beat or rapid pulse rate is a common complaint of people visiting a cardiologist. Most of the times, palpitations do not result from a heart abnormality but could indicate a heart problem when associated with other symptoms like shortness of breath, weakness and sweating.

7. Pain in the limbs: Apart from chest pain, some people may experience intermittent or constant pain in the shoulder that extends to the entire arm and even the back.

8. Loss of consciousness: Sudden unconsciousness (syncope) is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention. In several cases it is a sign that leads to diagnosis of heart disease.

If you have any of the above signs, you should consult a cardiologist and get your heart check up done before any complication arises.

BDST: 2153 HRS, OCT 26, 2014