Doctor reveals 10 symptoms you should never ignore to protect yourself from 'silent killer' disease
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
A doctor has shared 10 signs and symptoms of a common, deadly disease you should not ignore.
When it comes to our health, we sometimes aren't as on top of it as we'd ideally like to be, and concerning symptoms can sometimes go unnoticed.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, there are a few conditions that are often among the leading causes of death in the US.
From Covid-19, diabetes, chronic liver disease, and Alzheimer's, three others amounted to a vast number of deaths, with unintentional injuries from accidents covering 222,698. Meanwhile, cancer-related deaths were 613,352 in 2023.
Advert
However, the number one cause of death, which made up some 680,981 cases, has previously been dubbed the 'silent killer', and that's because it has something to do with our hearts.
But now, a doctor has revealed the ten symptoms you should keep an eye out for when it comes to your heart.
Of course, our hearts are one of the most vital organs in our bodies, literally never resting as it beats, pumping blood around our bodies.
If it stops even for a brief time, that could be disastrous, even if it is restored, causing long-term brain damage as the brain is starved of oxygen.
And while you might think that heart disease is only something you have to worry about as you get older, this is not true at all.
Dr Ameet Bakhai, a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation, explained that the Covid-19 pandemic has also seen heart issues occurring more commonly in younger people.
“Heart disease can affect people of all ages, particularly in the era of Covid and beyond, as the virus can attack the heart and the heart lining quite commonly as a condition called myopericarditis," Dr Bakhai said (via The Mirror).
According to the Cleveland Clinic, myopericarditis is a condition in which inflammation occurs in two parts of your heart, including the pericardium, the lining around your heart.
Outlining why heart health is so important, Dr Bakhai said: "There’s no annual MOT to be passed for most of us, so we ignore the small signals that our own engine is not performing ideally.
"Heart issues can often get progressively worse, until one day you have a more complicated issue - that could have been avoided if you'd heeded the warning signs."
Dr Bakhai added: “So, looking after your heart health is essential and should be planned as a new year resolution every year.”
Explaining some of the potential symptoms of heart disease, the doctor said: "Warning signs like chest tightness, aches in your arms or jaw, dizziness on standing, breathlessness with bending down should act like a wake-up call that your heart is calling out for help."
1. Dizziness when you stand up quickly
2. Shortness of breath
3. Difficulty bending down
4. Palpitations
5. Chest tightness
6. Pain in the neck or upper arms, particularly on the left
7. Difficulty standing up
8. Discomfort, including tightness, in the chest
9. Swollen legs
10. Frequent skipped or extra heartbeats