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Early Signs of Heart Disease

Early Signs of Heart Disease | UPMC Ireland

Heart disease continues to rank as the leading cause of death for both men and women in Ireland. According to the Irish Heart Foundation, heart disease is responsible for nearly 9000 deaths each year. The early detection of cardiovascular disease is crucial to protecting heart health and preventing damage to your quality of life and longevity. This means understanding the early signs, risk factors, and symptoms of heart disease.

Risks of Cardiovascular Disease

Heart disease is one of several types of cardiovascular disease, the umbrella term for conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels. Heart disease includes several conditions that affect the heart’s structure and function.

Atherosclerosis, the build-up of a sticky substance called plaque in your arteries, causes many heart health problems. Coronary artery disease (CAD), sometimes called coronary heart disease, is when plaque builds up in the arteries in your heart. CAD can reduce the blood flow to your heart, increasing your risk of heart attack.

According to the World Heart Federation, in 2021 there were 8,923 deaths in Ireland from cardiovascular disease.

Other cardiovascular health conditions include:

  • Arrhythmia, also called heart rhythm problems.
  • Heart attack, also called myocardial infarction.
  • Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure.
  • Heart valve problems, including mitral valve disease.
  • Stroke.

Heart Health Screenings

In Ireland, heart health screenings help doctors check for early signs of cardiovascular disease. Irish health experts recommend:

  • Blood glucose testing every three years for adults at risk of diabetes, especially those over 45 or with a family history of diabetes.
  • Blood pressure checks at least once a year for adults over 40, and every five years for those aged 18–39 without any risk factors.
  • Cholesterol blood tests every 4–5 years for adults over 40, or more frequently if you have risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease.
  • Weight measurement at every routine check-up to monitor changes and assess overall health.
  • Waist circumference measurement if your BMI is 25 kg/m² or higher. Excess abdominal fat increases the risk of heart disease.

These screenings are often carried out by GPs, nurses, or through services like the Irish Heart Foundation’s Mobile Health Unit, which offers free blood pressure and pulse checks across the country.

Signs of heart disease

Early warning signs of heart disease include:

  • Diabetes.
  • High blood pressure.
  • High amounts of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol).
  • Low amounts of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol).

These early warning signs of heart disease can also be linked to risk factors. That means if you have one or more of them, you are at an increased risk of having heart disease.

Risk factors for heart disease

Other risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Excessive alcohol use.
  • Family history of heart disease.
  • Joint pain.
  • Physical inactivity or a sedentary lifestyle.
  • Being overweight or obese.
  • Sleep apnoea.
  • Smoking.
  • An unhealthy diet.

In Irish men, erectile dysfunction may sometimes serve as an early sign of heart disease. It’s often associated with circulatory problems and should be discussed with a GP.

Cardiovascular Disease Symptoms

Cardiovascular disease can affect how you feel, but you may not feel any symptoms during its early stages. It can remain “silent” until your heart disease or other cardiovascular condition gets worse.

Different cardiovascular conditions can cause different symptoms. Some of the most common include:

Arrhythmia symptoms

Arrhythmia occurs when the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to the body, causing an irregular heartbeat. Common symptoms include palpitations, where it feels like the heart may flutter, pound, or skip a beat.

Other common symptoms of arrhythmia include:

  • Anxiety.
  • Chest pain or discomfort.
  • Confusion.
  • Difficulty breathing or gasping during sleep.
  • Dizziness and fainting.
  • Tiredness.
  • Weakness.

It’s normal for your heart rate to speed up or slow down during different activities, and sometimes it may skip a beat, but if this happens often, it can be an early warning sign of something serious.

Heart attack symptoms

A heart attack happens when part of your heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest. Chest pain or discomfort in the centre or left side of your chest is the most common symptom of a heart attack. It can feel like fullness, pressure, tightness, or squeezing. These symptoms can last for more than a few minutes or go away and come back.

Other heart attack symptoms include:

  • Breaking out in a cold sweat.
  • Discomfort or pain in one or both arms and shoulders.
  • Discomfort or pain in the back, jaw, and neck.
  • Feeling faint, lightheaded, or weak.
  • Shortness of breath, either before or with chest pain and discomfort.

Heart attack symptoms can sometimes present differently in women, who may mistake them for conditions like a stomach virus. Being aware of these symptoms is crucial for protecting heart health.

Common heart attack symptoms in women include:

  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Lightheadedness.
  • Unusual or unexplained tiredness.

Heart failure symptoms

Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to other parts of the body. This doesn’t mean the heart has stopped beating.

Common heart failure symptoms include:

  • Feeling tired or weak.
  • Shortness of breath during daily activities or even while resting.
  • Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, and stomach.
  • Trouble breathing when lying down.
  • Unexplained weight gain.

When to See Your Doctor or Get Emergency Help

If you have symptoms of a heart attack, call 999 or 112. The longer you wait to get treated, the more damage that can happen to your heart muscle and the greater your risk of death.

Always inform your doctor about your ongoing heart palpitations or cardiovascular disease symptoms. Consultant cardiologists can treat arrhythmia with medication or with special procedures. They can also treat heart failure with medication, lifestyle changes, and surgery if necessary.

Left untreated, arrhythmia can damage your brain, heart, and other organs, leading to stroke, cardiac arrest, or heart failure. Cardiac arrest happens when your heart suddenly stops beating. To prevent death, your heart needs to get restarted in minutes — either through CPR or an automatic external defibrillator (AED).

Heart Disease Prevention

Preventing heart disease is possible through lifestyle changes.

To lower your risk:

  • Avoid or limit alcohol intake. That means no more than one standard alcoholic drink per day for women and no more than two for men.
  • Get regular physical activity. Aim for at least 150 minutes in total of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week.
  • Follow a heart-healthy diet. This means choosing fresh whole foods that are rich in fibre and low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and salt. For heart health, Irish experts recommend the Mediterranean or DASH diet—both are shown to help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of heart disease.
  • Quit smoking.

Prevention may also include taking medication to lower cholesterol or control blood pressure. Your GP or consultant cardiologist can help you develop a plan to reduce your risk of heart disease.