Heart disease – Symptoms, causes, and risk factors
Several diseases are included under the umbrella term of heart diseases and are also called cardiovascular diseases. They lead to the blood vessels becoming narrow or getting blocked, which, in turn, can result in a heart attack or stroke or cause pain in the chest. Other heart conditions affect the heart’s muscle, rhythm, or valve.
Symptoms
The symptoms vary according to the condition diagnosed. The symptoms of common cardiovascular diseases are discussed below.
Symptoms of atherosclerotic disease
- Pain in the chest or feeling a sense of tightness or discomfort in the area
- Shortness of breath
- Limbs feeling numb or severely cold if the blood vessels have narrowed in the area, as it affects blood circulation
- Pain in the jaw, back, upper abdomen, or neck
Symptoms of abnormality in the heartbeat or arrhythmia
- Fluttering sensation in the chest
- Racing or slow heartbeat
- Discomfort or pain in the chest
- Feeling dizzy or fainting
- Light-headedness
Symptoms of heart defects or related conditions
- Skin color turning blue or pale gray
- Abdominal swelling or swelling in the area surrounding the eyes
- Shortness of breath while feedings in case of an infant
Symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy
- Breathlessness
- Swelling in the legs, feet, and ankles
- Feeling a sense of fatigue and dizziness
- Irregular heartbeat
Symptoms related to heart infections
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling weak
- Change in the heart rhythm
- Persistent cough
- Skin rashes
Causes
The causes vary depending on the type of heart disease one is affected with. The common causes include an accumulation of fatty plaques in the arteries as a result of following an unhealthy diet and not being physically active, being overweight or obese, and smoking. Read on to learn more about the causes of commonly diagnosed heart diseases:
- Heart arrhythmia
This can be a result of heart defects since birth, high blood pressure or diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol or caffeine intake, or stress.