WHO says that close to 18 million people die every year from heart disease.
Heart disease kills without making a sound. In the early stages of this disease, the signs and symptoms are so mild that a healthy person wouldn’t be able to notice them.
There are a few common signs of heart disease that may not seem serious, but they can lead to more serious conditions like heart disease if they are ignored.
Ankles can be a sign of heart disease
A swollen ankle could be a sign that your heart needs a lot more care than it is getting right now.
How can you tell? Ankles that swell up for no clear reason or look swollen even though there are no visible cuts or bruises should not be taken lightly.
Another possible sign is that the swollen area feels warm and leaves a dent when pressed that stays for a while; in this case, the skin does not go back to normal.
Peripheral oedema
Most of the time, this condition is caused by peripheral oedema. Most of the time, it happens when fluid builds up in the tissue. Most of the time, it is in the arms and legs. When this happens, the arms and legs feel like they weigh a lot.
Peripheral edoema can be a sign of a mild problem with holding on to water, or it could be a sign of a serious disease like heart disease. It can also happen when you have an allergic reaction.
Signs of peripheral oedema
Aside from ankle swelling, other signs of peripheral oedema include swollen hands and face, swelling after standing or sitting for a long time, stretched skin, a change in skin colour, pain, and stiffness in the joint areas.
The patient can also sometimes have neck pain, lose consciousness, feel sick, or feel dizzy.
Heart diseases peripheral oedema can indicate
Peripheral edoema can be a sign of heart failure with congestion. When the heart gets weaker, it pumps a lot less blood than it used to. This can cause fluid to build up in the legs, which can lead to oedema.
Most often, heart disease shows up as:
- Cough, which does not go away on its own
- Wheezing
- Bloating
- Unexplained weight change
- Mood swings and confusion
Other illnesses that can cause peripheral oedema
Peripheral oedema can cause a number of health problems, including heart disease, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, kidney disease, less protein in the blood, and liver disease.
It can also cause a lung disease called emphysema, which is very bad.
The most common cause of peripheral edoema in patients is venous insufficiency, which is linked to getting older. However, this condition can also be caused by heart failure, kidney failure, liver failure, and trauma, and it can happen to people of any age.
How to keep your heart healthy?
Aside from obvious things like living a healthy life and eating well, people should also keep an eye on small changes in their bodies. Signs that look simple and not important could be just the tip of the iceberg.
Heart diseases don’t just pop up out of nowhere. The symptoms stay in the body for a long time and slowly and steadily change how the heart works. When a person has a problem, it’s too late to do anything about it.
To keep the heart working well, people need to get regular checkups, eat right, exercise, and live a healthy lifestyle.
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