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Signs of heart-related illnesses can appear in various ways. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that signs to be aware of include discomfort or pain in the chest, pain in the upper back or neck, feelings of heartburn, nausea or throwing up, trouble breathing, feelings of fluttering in the chest (palpitations), and swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, belly, or neck veins. Sometimes, however, there are subtle indicators of heart disease that often go unnoticed: fatigue. In a post on Instagram from April 30 shared by The Health Exchange Podcast, Dr Danielle Belardo, MD, who specializes in cardiology, discussed how feeling tired can often be a symptom linked to various heart conditions.
The caption of the podcast's video stated, "Fatigue can be one of the signs of different heart diseases." Dr Belardo pointed out that fatigue is frequently overlooked, and people don’t always think it could relate to health problems.
The cardiologist emphasizes that people of all ages often fail to recognize that feeling tired can be a symptom of several heart diseases. She mentioned that these can include:
- Heart artery diseases
- Heart failure
- Cardiomyopathy
- Abnormal heart rhythms.
She noted that many times, there are various other explanations for why we feel exhausted. For example, “If you’re an athlete, a competitive athlete; if you’re in school, busy with life, you might have plenty of reasons to feel worn out,” she remarked. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to pay attention when something doesn’t seem right because people often attribute their fatigue to many different factors. “When it truly can be an early sign for numerous heart diseases,” the cardiologist cautioned. A report from Harvard Health mentions that many illnesses and medications can cause fatigue. Yet, a persistent new feeling of tiredness can sometimes indicate heart failure (a condition where the heart does not pump effectively) or heart artery disease. While it's rarer as a sign of heart artery disease, it can happen at times. Being aware of this is critical.
