Can Sleep Apnea Predict Heart Diseases?
If something goes abrupt with your heart, how would you identify?
Well, you can’t always expect a chest clutch scenario, followed by a fall to the floor like we see in those typical Bollywood movies. The truth is most of the symptoms of heart problems do not occur in our chest. In fact, in certain circumstances, it is not easy to interpret, what exactly is going on.
Studies confirm there are only 25 percent of heart attack victims, who show prior symptoms of heart diseases, they have been warned about.
However, there are few early warning signs that could sound the alert. Be sure to contact a medical provider as you notice them happening.
What are these Heart Problem Symptoms?
Symptoms of heart problems crop up when there is something erroneous with your heart or blood vessels and there can be different types of cardiac diseases that may produce their own set of symptoms.
The warning signs one should watch out for are:
Chest pain or Discomfort
‘Chest pain is equivalent to heart pain’- this is the general conception in the minds of many people. Let’s make it clear that symptoms of heart problems are rather more alarming than a chest pain. The more important thing is, while different conditions can cause chest pain, cardiac diseases are the most common and undeniably dangerous. You can’t afford dismissing the symptom of chest pain as being insignificant.
Secondly, “chest pain” is an often used term for describing pain, choking, numbness, squeezing or any discomfort in the chest, neck or upper abdomen. It can last from less than a second or days to weeks or can occur rarely or frequently, predictably or unpredictably.
It is the kind of variability only that make this symptom of heart disease challenging- which is why it is recommended to get a help from a medical professional in case one experience chest pain.
Palpitations
Heart Palpitations are a feeling that your heart is pounding too fast or too hard, skipping a beat or fluttering. Palpitations can be felt in your chest, throat or neck. Most of the times, they are not serious and goes away on their own. Many times they are due to stress or anxiety and sometimes you can relate it with the consumption of caffeine, nicotine or alcohol.
In rare cases, palpitation can be a sign of cardiac arrhythmia and there are different types of arrhythmia where all can cause palpitations. Unfortunately, on occasion, palpitation can signal a more dangerous heart arrhythmia, such as ventricular tachycardia.
Dizziness
Dizziness or lightheadedness can be caused by blood disorders, diabetes, thyroid, anemia, neurological disorders, liver disease, kidney disease, heart failure or cardiac diseases.
As this rare symptom of heart diseases can be produced by so many conditions, take a note, if you are the one who experience episodes of dizziness, better go for a thorough and complete examination by a physician.
Fainting or Loss of Consciousness:
Fainting or Loss of consciousness happens to be one of the most common symptom- people pass out at least once in a lifetime. It often does not indicate any serious problem.
But sometimes fainting, also known as syncope indicates a dangerous or life-threatening condition or heart problem symptoms. Thus when syncope occurs, it is very important to figure out the cause.
Fatigue or Day Time Sleepiness
Fatigue, Lethargy or day time sleepiness is a condition when one either craves for sleep (during work) or worse is, he/she find oneself suddenly asleep. You can think of these as inabilities to continue functioning at one’s normal level.
Contrarily, Fatigue can be an early symptom of heart diseases thus individuals with it need a good general medical evaluation in order to pin down its actual cause.
Dizziness or Sleepiness is also caused by sleep disorders where one of the most common types is sleep apnea. Heart Disease and Sleep apnea are however connected strongly.
Shortness of Breath
Patients with heart and coronary artery disease often show it. Patients with symptoms of heart diseases experience shortness of breath with exertion or while lying flat on the back. These people often wake up suddenly at night gasping for breath and the condition is termed as Sleep apnea.
Besides, there are several lung conditions that produce shortness of breath including asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia. In short, shortness of breath is always a significant medical problem that needs to be evaluated by a doctor.
Heart Disease and Sleep Apnea
Our heart is designed to keep a pace with our body activities during the day but at night, its job is to beat slow and decrease the blood pressure, to let it rejuvenate and take rest. Now what, if one suffer from sleep apnea, the most common sleep disorder? When will his heart be able to relax?
In combination of our busy lifestyles, we hardly give attention to our sleep. Hence, it is of no wonder why we suffer. However, if diagnosed, disorders like sleep apnea can easily predict the chances of Heart problems.
Sleep apnea is a disorder where the airway closes and you stop breathing while sleeping, further causing your oxygen levels to drop down and triggering the heart to work harder. This entire process not only leads to heart problem but could also direct to high blood pressure.
Did you know your risk for heart disease is increased by twice with Sleep Apnea?
Now that we have established a significant link between heart disease and sleep apnea, it makes sense to treat this condition on priority. Those who are treated with sleep apnea have 40% of chance to improve with heart problems and diseases.
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