RELATED: 40 Habits That Increase Your Chances of a Heart Attack After 40. According to Harvard Health, being overly tired can be a sign of heart trouble. “When the heart can’t pump enough oxygen-rich blood to meet the body’s energy needs, a general feeling of tiredness or fatigue sets in,” the experts there say. RELATED: 20 Ways You Didn’t Realize You’re Ruining Your Heart. Rapid or irregular heart beat is never something to ignore. It’s normal for your heart to beat faster when you’re excited or nervous, but if the symptom is persistent and comes on suddenly, it may be something more serious. “In most cases, it’s caused by something that’s easy to fix, like too much caffeine or not enough sleep,” Vincent Bufalino, MD, an American Heart Association (AHA) spokesman, told WebMD. “But occasionally, it could signal a condition called atrial fibrillation that needs treatment. So ask your doctor to check it out.” If you notice unexplained swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet, you could have edema, which the Cleveland Clinic defines as “swelling that is caused by fluid trapped in your body’s tissues.” Though not always, edema is often caused by congestive heart failure because your heart lacks the pumping power to force used blood back up from your lower extremities. RELATED: If Your Legs Feel Like This, Have Your Heart Checked, Says Mayo Clinic. One of the most common signs of heart failure is some kind of pain, tightness, or pressure in your chest. “Everyone has a different word for that feeling,” Charles Chambers, MD, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Penn State Hershey Heart and Vascular Institute, told WebMD. “Some people say it’s like an elephant is sitting on them. Other people say it’s like a pinching or burning.” Even if the pain is temporary, you should consult your doctor, Chambers says. And if the symptom is severe or doesn’t subside after a few minutes, you should call 911 because you may be having a heart attack. In addition to fluid building up in your extremities, edema can occur throughout the entire body, which may result in sudden, unexplained weight gain. This is not only a common sign of both acute and chronic heart failure, according to the Mayo Clinic, but being overweight puts added stress on your heart and can be a common cause of heart problems such as stroke and heart attack. Are you unable to complete physical tasks that used to be a breeze or not go as hard at the gym as you used to, but don’t know why? If so, it’s probably best to consult your doctor because this could be the sign of a serious health problem.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “People with heart failure are often unable to do their normal activities because they become easily tired and short of breath,” the experts at Harvard Health say. Feeling sick to your stomach or nauseous may sound like, well, a stomach problem, but both are actually classic early signs of heart failure. Why do they happen? According to the AHA, the reason is relatively simple: “The digestive system receives less blood, causing problems with digestion.” According to the AHA: “Changing levels of certain substances in the blood, such as sodium, can cause confusion.” This may present as memory loss or feelings of disorientation, both signs that may be noticed by a caregiver or relative before the actual patient. Either way, these are signs of heart failure—as well as other serious medical conditions—and should be addressed with a doctor as soon as possible. For more helpful heart health tips sent straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. In addition to fluid building up in the legs, ankles, or feet, fluid building up in the lungs is another early sign of heart failure, according to the experts at Harvard Health. When this happens, patients may experience noticeable and persistent coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Any of these symptoms should be addressed with your doctor as soon as they are noticed. Experiencing shortness of breath when engaging in strenuous physical activity is often perfectly normal. However if the symptom happens more easily and frequently than it used to, it could be a cause for concern. And if it happens during an inactive state such as sitting or lying down, it should be addressed with your doctor immediately. The Mayo Clinic identifies “shortness of breath with activity or when lying down” as one of the most common signs of both chronic and acute heart failure. RELATED: If You Have This iPhone, Your Heart Could Be At Risk, FDA Warns.
