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Some heart diseases can be suspected through some signs and symptoms, such as shortness of breath, easy tiredness, palpitations, swelling in the ankles or chest pain, for example, it is recommended to go to the cardiologist if the symptoms persist for several days , get worse over time or come up very often.
Most heart disease does not appear suddenly, but it develops over time and, therefore, it is common for symptoms to be less evident and may even be confused with other factors, such as lack of fitness. It is for this reason that many heart diseases are only discovered after routine examinations, such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) or the stress test.
Still, people who are attentive to their own bodies may be able to identify small changes that indicate that some heart disease is developing, helping in early diagnosis. If you think you may have a heart problem, please select what you are feeling to know your risk:
- 1. Frequent snoring during sleep No Yes
- 2. Shortness of breath at rest or exertion No Yes
- 3. Chest pain or discomfort No Yes
- 4. Dry and persistent cough No Yes
- 5. Bluish color at the fingertips No Yes
- 6. Dizziness or frequent fainting No Yes
- 7. Palpitations or tachycardia No Yes
- 8. Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet No Yes
- 9. Excessive tiredness for no apparent reason No Yes
- 10. Cold sweat No Yes
- 11. Poor digestion, nausea or loss of appetite No Yes
Regardless of the test result, it is recommended to consult a cardiologist, who will be able to assess the entire clinical history and request other important tests to assess heart health, such as electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and blood tests.
Who is most at risk for heart disease
The main factors that increase the risk of developing some type of heart disease are:
- Have uncontrolled high blood pressure;
- Having high cholesterol;
- Having uncontrolled diabetes;
- Suffer from obesity;
- Eat an unhealthy diet, especially rich in fats or sugar;
- Do not do regular physical activity.
In addition, the use of some substances, especially tobacco and alcohol, can also be an important factor in the development of heart problems, since they increase blood pressure and can cause damage to blood vessels.
What is your risk of having a heart attack
Sedentary people, who are overweight and who have high cholesterol and triglycerides, have an increased risk of suffering from serious conditions, such as a heart attack. Enter your data, and see if you are at high risk or low risk of heart attack, and also what you should do in each situation:
To improve cardiovascular health, it is recommended to consume garlic daily, as it reduces cholesterol and high blood pressure, protecting against problems such as atherosclerosis and heart attack. A good way to consume garlic is to soak a clove of garlic in a glass all night and drink this garlic water in the morning.
What tests assess heart health
Whenever there is a suspicion of having some type of heart problem, it is very important to consult a cardiologist so that tests can be done to help identify if there is indeed a disease that needs to be treated.
The confirmation of heart problems can be done through tests that assess the shape and function of the heart, such as chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram or stress test, for example.
In addition, the cardiologist may also recommend performing blood tests, such as the measurement of troponin, myoglobin and CK-MB, which may be altered during a heart attack, for example. Learn more about tests to assess heart function.
How to prevent heart disease
To prevent heart disease, a healthy diet with little salt, sugar and also little fat is recommended, in addition to regular physical exercise. Those who do not have free time should make the right choices, such as avoiding the elevator and climbing stairs, not using the remote control and getting up to change the TV channel and other attitudes that make the body work harder and spend more energy.