Types of Heart Diseases You Need to Know

Heart diseases come in many forms and each of them will prevent your heart from performing its best, leading to other health problems and risks. Each heart disease manifests in their own way so it is important to be aware about their symptoms. Take a look at the different kinds of heart diseases and their symptoms.

Cardiovascular Disease

When the disease is centered in your blood vessels it's called cardiovascular disease. Symptoms are often different in men and women. Men are more likely to feel chest pain, often described as a tightening or squeezing feeling in the chest. Women are more likely to complain of shortness of breath, nausea, and severe fatigue. There may also be numbness, pain, or coldness in your extremities or even your neck, jaw, abdomen, or back.

Arrhythmias

An abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. Your heartbeat might be too fast, too slow, or simply beat irregularly. Arrhythmias may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, racing heart, fainting, or a fluttering feeling in your chest.

Heart Defects

Most serious congenital heart defects are discovered soon after you're born or in early childhood. Children might appear pale grey or blue, have swollen legs, arms, or abdomen, or have difficulty breathing, especially while feeding if they're an infant. This could lead to poor weight gain. Less serious congenital heart defects might not be discovered until later, even until adulthood. Side effects are generally milder and might include shortness of breath during activity, getting tired easily during exercise, and swelling in the feet, ankles, and hands.

Weak Heart

A weak heart doesn't always cause symptoms, but as the heart muscle deteriorates, symptoms will start to appear and can include shortness of breath during exercise and at rest, swelling in your extremities, fatigue, dizziness, and an irregular heartbeat.

Heart Infections

Endocarditis affects the membrane that separates the valves and chambers of the heart. This infection can cause fever, rashes or unusual skin spots, change in heart rhythm, dry cough that doesn't go away, weakness and fatigue, and swelling in legs, feet, and abdomen.

Valvular Heart Disease

As implied by the name, valvular heart disease is concentrated in the valves of the heart. There are four different valves which work together to direct blood through the heart. Valves may be too narrow, be leaking, or not be closing properly. Symptoms may vary depending on which valves are affected, but they often include weakness, fainting, chest pain, swollen feet or ankles, irregular heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.

Family medicine clinic in Abu Dhabi

Adam and Eve Specialized Medical Centre’s family medicine doctors will help you detect heart diseases early to pre-empt the development of any heart disease that will impede your overall health. Consult with our family medicine doctor today.