Symptoms and complaints regarding heart diseasesSymptoms and Signs of Heart Diseases

Chest Pain

Chest pain based on coronary heart disease emerges generally with effort, emotional stress or increased workload of heart after meals, it can last for minutes, it is relieved or stopped by resting or using medication administered sublingually and called nitrate, it starts from the chest bone and or left side of the chest and it can spread towards left arm, chest and dorsa, it is mostly descried as a crushing, overwhelming feeling of pressure, compression or burning and it is called angina pectoris. Pain which lasts for more than 5 minutes and continues despite sublingual nitrate can indicate myocardial infarction.

The pain associated with inflammation of the membrane called pericardium which surrounds the heart is generally continuous, distinguishes itself as a “stabbing” pain without any relation to effort and changes with the position while it can spread towards both shoulders.

The pain, which is severely intense, begins suddenly and radiates to the dorsa (back) due to aortic dissection.

Shortness of Breath

It usually emerges with a physical activity (by walking a distance which did not use to pose a difficulty or by climbing a slope or stairs) It can be a symptom of cardiac ischemia or cardiomyopatia. It can emerge due to the presence of or it can be mistaken for emphysema, asthma and other pulmonary diseases.

Edema

Edema is the accumulation of water and salt in body due to cardiac failure. It is seen usually in legs, sometimes in abdomen and rarely in arms; it is bilateral and indents when pushed in. It can also emerge due to kidney or liver diseases.

Nocturia (Frequent Urination During Night)

As the excess water and salt accumulated in body during daytime is excreted with urine during sleep, it is distinguished as urination at least twice during the night.

Fainting

Fainting due to heart disease usually dies not last long (only a few minutes), occurs suddenly and consciousness is completely lost. Patient usually loses the current position and collapses down and does not respond to verbal or pain stimulants. Urinary incontinence, foam at the mouth or contraction of limbs usually do not occur and the patient recovers quickly (an episode of sleep does not occur after fainting). It is generally recurrent and progressive. It is mostly common with cardiac arrhythmia, therefore someone diagnosed with a heart disease should be treated as a medical emergency until fatal arrhythmia is eliminated in the event of fainting.

Palpitation

Heartbeats abnormally noticed by the patient within the chest or sometimes in the abdomen are referred as palpitation. It can be felt as a skipped beat or stopping of heartbeats or normal heartbeats can be felt as well. Particularly, palpitations that are accelerated, irregular heart rate or accompanied by sweating or fainting can indicate heart disease.

Cyanosis

It is the appearance of blue coloration caused by insufficient oxygenation of the tissues in fingers and toes as well as lips. Congenital heart defects, cardiomyopatia, valvular diseases as well as severe pulmonary diseases can cause cyanosis.

Fatigue

Although there are several reasons for it, it can also be an early symptom of heart failure. It is particularly important for elderly people or those with a previous coronary heart disease or valvular disease.