What are the signs of an unhealthy heart?

Introduction

An unhealthy heart can manifest through various signs and symptoms, which can be indicative of underlying cardiovascular disorders. Recognizing these signs early is crucial for timely diagnosis and management. This synthesis compiles key insights from multiple research papers to outline the common signs of an unhealthy heart.

Key Insights

Fatigue and Dyspnea
- Profound fatigue and dyspnea (shortness of breath) are common indicators of heart failure and are associated with worsening functional class and hospital settings .
Peripheral Edema and Pulmonary Rales
- Peripheral edema (swelling, especially in the ankles) and pulmonary rales (crackling sounds in the lungs) are significant signs of heart failure, both in primary care and hospital settings .
Irregular Heart Rhythms
- Irregular cardiac rhythms, such as multiform premature ventricular contractions, couplets, and ventricular tachycardia, may indicate underlying cardiac disease .
Visible Age-Related Signs
- Visible signs like male pattern baldness, earlobe crease, and xanthelasmata (yellowish deposits around the eyes) are associated with an increased risk of ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, independent of age and other risk factors.
Weight Changes and Severe Cough
- Sudden weight gain, weight loss, and severe cough are more frequently reported in hospitalized patients with heart failure and are associated with worsening disease.
Orthopnea and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea
- Orthopnea (difficulty breathing when lying down) and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (sudden breathlessness at night) are specific symptoms of heart failure, indicating increased left ventricular filling pressures .
Jugular Venous Pressure and Third Heart Sound
- Elevated jugular venous pressure and the presence of a third heart sound are important clinical signs of heart failure, often observed during physical examinations .
Unhealthy Lifestyles
- Unhealthy lifestyles, including smoking, high sodium diet, and physical inactivity, are associated with increased risk of heart disease and higher rates of readmission and mortality in heart failure patients .

Conclusion

The signs of an unhealthy heart are varied and can include fatigue, dyspnea, peripheral edema, pulmonary rales, irregular heart rhythms, visible age-related signs, weight changes, severe cough, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, elevated jugular venous pressure, and the presence of a third heart sound. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyle choices significantly contribute to the risk and severity of heart disease. Recognizing these signs early can aid in the timely diagnosis and management of cardiovascular conditions.

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What are the signs of an unhealthy heart?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Common cardiovascular problems in the young: Part I. Murmurs, chest pain, syncope and irregular rhythms.

Innocent heart murmurs, chest pain, syncope, and irregular cardiac rhythms are common in young people, but can indicate underlying cardiac disease.

Signs and symptoms of heart failure: are you asking the right questions?

Profound fatigue is a more reliable indicator of worsening functional class in heart failure patients than dyspnea, and nurses should recognize atypical signs and symptoms to facilitate patient care decisions.

Visible Age-Related Signs and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease in the General Population: A Prospective Cohort Study

Male pattern baldness, earlobe crease, and xanthelasmata are associated with increased risk of ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, regardless of chronological age and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Signs for early diagnosis of heart failure in primary health care

Early diagnosis of heart failure in primary health care is highly suggestive for peripheral edema, breathlessness on exercise, or pulmonary rales, but often left unconfirmed by echocardiogram and/or electrocardiogram.

Knowledge and Poor Understanding Factors of Stroke and Heart Attack Symptoms

Poor understanding of stroke and heart attack symptoms is associated with factors such as older age, male gender, lower education, lack of regular exercise, unmarried status, unemployment, poor economic status, and poor health behaviors.

Unhealthy lifestyles and ischaemic electrocardiographic abnormalities: the Persian Gulf Healthy Heart Study.

Unhealthy lifestyles, including smoking, obesity, and inactivity, are associated with a higher prevalence of ischaemic heart disease and increased risk of ischemic electrocardiographic abnormalities.

Diagnosis and evaluation of heart failure.

Heart failure is a common clinical syndrome characterized by dyspnea, fatigue, and volume overload, with high morbidity and mortality rates.

The correlation between unhealthy lifestyle, readmission in the vulnerable period and in-hospital mortality and at 1 year in patients with heart failure

Unhealthy lifestyles, such as active smoking and hyper sodium diet, increase the likelihood of readmission and in-hospital mortality in heart failure patients.

ABC of heart failure: Clinical features and complications

Heart failure symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea, swollen ankles, and exercise intolerance, but diagnosis accuracy is often inadequate, particularly in women, elderly, or obese patients.

[Physical symptoms in heart failure].

Physical signs of heart failure, such as abnormalities in the jugular venous pulse and apical impulse, often go unrecognized, but are crucial for diagnosis and monitoring.

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