Heart diseases happen to be the largest cause of death in America. Hence, it is very important to be aware of the signs of heart diseases and its symptoms in case you or someone you know gets his life subjected to danger due to its wrath. There are six major signs of heart diseases. It is highly essential that you are able to decipher the intensity, length and frequency of these six particular signs of heart diseases in case you are struck by any. It is highly recommended that thorough and frequents checkups are administered at a physician’s to ensure the signs of heart diseases have not emerged, and if they have, it is good to be updated and well-versed in the subject.

Here are the six most common signs of heart diseases, the number one death weapon that reigns in America. 

Chest Pains

When it comes to the most prominent features or signs of heart diseases, chest pains rank number one. Chest pains in medical terms are referred to as ischemic chest pains or angina pectoris. These chest pains always emerge from the middle to the upper chest areas and may spread across the right and left sides, the jaw, the shoulders, the arms and the upper back. These pains are more often described as suffocating attacks characterized by deep and intense aching but not too excruciating. These chest pains are primarily triggered by specific factors, such as emotional stress or a traumatic event and may last for a few minutes or so, or until the trigger subsides or decreases in intensity.

Palpitations

Palpitations are one of the defining signs of heart diseases. Palpitations are described as episodes of irregular heartbeat that is usually experienced in a state of resting. Irregular heart beat is usually described by the patients who are experiencing them as phases of constant heart beat followed by a halt and then a restart. Palpitations are thought to be the resultant of ventricular contractions that are premature in nature, being a sign of a potential heart disease.

Dyspnea

Dyspnea or shortness of breath is yet another common sign of heart diseases. Dyspnea can be broken down into four different types: orthopnea, resting dyspnea, exertion dyspnea and paroxysmal dyspnea. The most common kind of dyspnea and an early sign of heart diseasehappens to be exertion dyspnea, characterized by shortness of breath experienced due to physical inactivity. Paroxysmal dyspnea portrays a more serious heart condition and is characterized by awakening during sleeping caused by shortness of breath. Next in terms of severity is orthopnea, characterized by a loss of breath on lying down on an immediate basis and lastly is resting dyspnea, which is the rarest of them all but also the most severe in nature.

Fluid Retention

Water retention or edema, which is retaining water in the lower legs, face or abdominals, is also a distinguishing sign of heart diseases. Abdominal pain, weight gain and bloating are the more visible signs of edema and edema is associated with heart diseases such as peripheral artery disease, caused by poor circulation.

Syncope

Another sign of heart diseases is light-headedness or dizziness, referred to as syncope in medical terminology. One of the major causes of syncope is hindrance or a decreased supply of blood to the brain.

Coughing

Even though coughing is more closely linked to lung diseases, it can potentially be a sign of a heart disease as well. Coughing linked to heart disease is a sign of congestive heart failure. Pulmonary heart disease, which is another kind of heart disease may also result in coughing, portraying it to be a sign of heart diseases.