Heart Disease: Recognising Symptoms and Preventive Measures

By in Cardiology

Aug 24, 2020

 We live in a world where ‘work hard and party harder’ has become a lifestyle anthem, and most of us are trying to live up to it, ignoring the consequences it will lead to.

We are constantly working hard for a better future, but what will happen if we came to know that efforts and pain we are taking for a flourishing career is actually putting us down and pushing us towards probable heart diseases.

In today’s fast-paced world we are constantly under stress which as per medical experts can cause injury to our heart muscles and lead to Cardiac Ischemia.  This condition causes a reduction or stoppage of blood flow which ultimately causes injury to our body cells and reducing their life. However, all this can be prevented by just making some simple changes to our lifestyle.

We should be aware of heart disease symptoms, so we are prepared to take timely preventive measures for a healthy heart and life. 

Symptoms of Heart Disease

1. Chest Pain: feeling discomfort in the chest or heaviness radiating to your left arm and back.
2. Dyspnea: If you feel difficulty in breathing after walking for short steps and even at rest, it can be due to multiple factors including improper functioning of the heart.          
3. Palpitation: when your heartbeat gets irregular after eating heavy meals or during the day to day activity, you should not ignore that and should immediately consult a heart specialist.
4. Diabetics: if you are a diabetic you should be extra cautious as high blood glucose from diabetes can lead to damaged blood vessels which can cause sudden cardiac arrest.
5. Hypertensives: This condition is often ignored by patients as there are no definite symptoms until it leads to life-threatening heart disease or even stroke. Regular check-ups, timely medications, and controlled blood pressure are the key to prevention for those suffering from high blood pressure.

Above are a few common symptoms one should be aware of and if you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms then you should immediately get in touch with a doctor.

If you lead a stressful life and are suffering from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, etc. then it is advised by cardiac specialists that you should go for regular cardiac check-ups at least once a year.  Even if you are in your 30’s, you should not take these symptoms lightly. As per the reports, coronary artery disease cases are on the rise even among the youth in their 20’s.

Best practices for a healthy lifestyle:

The cardiac team at Metro Hospital advises people to make positive changes to their lifestyle for a healthy heart, as they say, prevention is the best cure.

• Early to bed and early to rise: we should follow the principle of ‘early to bed and early to rise is the key to a healthy life’ as medical experts believe it too.So getting up early and 45 mins of walk and yoga/exercise are the best medication suggested by heart experts to prevent heart diseases and live a healthy life.
• Explore nature: heart experts suggest that one should experience the nature around us, as it keeps your stress level down.
• Avoid sugars, fatty, and oily food all the time, it’s ok to indulge in foods that you crave once in a while, but regular consumption of food with high oil and sugar content can lead to many heart diseases.
• Add nuts to your daily diet like almonds and walnut as they are a rich source of nutrients including omega fatty acids which are good for your heart health.
• Add Vitamin C and E rich fruits and food in your diet.
• Try getting organic vegetables and fruits or start growing them in your garden if you can. Normally fruits and vegetables available in the market contain a high amount of harmful fertilizers which can have an adverse effect on our health.
• Stay Positive: give yourself ample time and indulge in activities that keep your mood positive like listening to music while to commute to your office. It reduces your stress levels and keeps your heart healthy.

All these lifestyle changes will keep your heart healthy. If you are unsure about your symptoms, you should consult a heart specialist as soon as possible, after all, you have got only one heart and one life.