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12 Clues You Might Have Heart Disease
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Sleep Apnea
When your snoring is
broken up by pauses in your breathing, your brain may not be getting enough
oxygen. It will send signals to your blood vessels and heart to work harder to
keep blood flow going. This raises your risk for high blood pressure, abnormal
heart rhythms, strokes, and heart failure. Fortunately, sleep apnea is
treatable.
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Yellow-Orange Bumpy Rash
Extremely high
triglyceride levels can make your skin break out around the knuckles of your
fingers and toes and on your bottom. A lot of these fats in your blood may play
a role in hardening your arteries, and high numbers are often related to other
conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and strokes, too.
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Poor Grip Strength
The strength of your
hand may tell you something about the strength of your heart. Research suggests
the ability to squeeze something well means a lower risk of heart disease. If
it's hard for you to grasp an object, odds are higher that you have or could
develop problems. (But improving your grip strength alone won't necessarily
make your heart healthier.)
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Dark Spot Under Nails
If you haven't banged or
hurt your finger or toe recently, little dots of blood trapped under your nail
could point to an infection in the lining of your heart or valves, called
endocarditis. You can also get these blood specks when you have diabetes, and people
with that condition are two to four times more likely to have heart disease and
strokes.
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Dizziness
Lightheadedness is often
a direct result of something wrong with your heart because it isn't pumping
enough blood to your brain. Dizziness could be a symptom of an abnormal rhythm,
called an arrhythmia. Heart failure, meaning the weakening of the muscle, can
also make you unsteady. Feeling woozy is one of the many lesser-known symptoms
of a heart attack, too.
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Sexual Problems
Some troubles in the
bedroom could mean you have heart disease and a greater risk for a heart attack
or stroke. Men with erectile dysfunction may have circulation problems related
to high blood pressure or narrow arteries from cholesterol buildup. These blood-flow
problems can also lessen a woman’s libido and ability to enjoy sex.
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Skin Color Changes
Blue or gray fingers and
toes could be from poor circulation of oxygen-rich blood, often due to a heart
defect you were born with or narrowed or blocked blood vessels. A lacy,
mottled, purple pattern shows up when bits of built-up cholesterol plaques
break off, then get stuck in small blood vessels. You might get bloody
splotches just under the skin on the inside of your hands and the soles of your
feet when you have endocarditis.
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Bleeding Gums
Experts don't totally
understand the link between gum disease and heart disease. But studies suggest
that bleeding, swollen, or tender gums may lead to trouble with your ticker.
One theory is that bacteria from your gums gets into your bloodstream and sets
off inflammation in your heart. Having gum disease, which can lead to tooth
loss, may also raise your chances of a stroke.
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Dark, Velvety Skin Patches
You may find these thick
spots, called acanthosis nigricans, in skin folds and creases such as your
neck, armpits, and groin when your body has trouble using the hormone insulin.
The patches could have skin tags, too. If you aren't being treated for insulin
resistance, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes, see your doctor for help
controlling your blood sugar and protecting your heart.
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Trouble Breathing
Feeling short of breath
can be a symptom of heart failure, an abnormal heart rhythm, or a heart attack.
Tell your doctor if you struggle to catch your breath after doing things that
used to be easy for you, or if it's hard to breathe while lying down. Have
chest pain, too? Call 911.
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Swelling In Lower Legs
It happens when you
stand or sit for a long time, and it's also common during pregnancy. Fluid
build-up can also stem from heart failure and poor circulation in your legs.
Swollen legs could be from a clot that's blocking the return of blood from your
lower limbs to your heart. Call your doctor right away if swelling comes on
suddenly.
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Fatigue
Don’t always
chalk it up to poor sleep. Heart failure can leave you tired and drained,
because the muscle no longer pumps well enough to meet your body’s needs. Watch
for other symptoms, such as coughing and swelling, too, since feeling wiped out
and weak can be a warning sign of many different conditions, including anemia,
cancer, or even depression.
This tool does not provide medical advice.
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