What kind of heart problems can. Symptoms of heart disease, methods of treatment and preventive measures. Atypical signs of heart problems include

Cardiovascular disease has many precursors and earliest symptoms, many of which can be easily confused with signs of other diseases. If you feel or notice at least one of the symptoms listed below, you do not need to panic, but you should not dismiss the warning signs either - it is important to consult a doctor in time, because vascular diseases can really be prevented with the help of proper prevention.

Cough

Usually a cough speaks of a cold and flu, but with heart problems, expectorant drugs do not help. It is especially worthwhile to be wary if a dry cough appears while lying down.

Weakness and pallor

Functional disorders of the nervous system - absent-mindedness, increased fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, tremors of the extremities - are common signs of heart neurosis.

Pallor is usually observed with anemia, vasospasm, inflammatory heart disease in rheumatism, and aortic valve insufficiency. In severe forms of pulmonary heart failure, the color of the lips, cheeks, nose, earlobes and limbs changes, which visually turn blue.

Temperature increase

Inflammatory processes (myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis) and myocardial infarction are accompanied by fever, sometimes even fever.

Pressure

40 thousand die annually due to cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure. At the same time, if you follow the rules for controlling pressure and do not provoke its increase, then you can avoid not only poor health, but also more serious problems.

Sustainable increase blood pressure above 140/90 is a serious factor for concern and suspicion of the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Too rare (less than 50 beats per minute), frequent (more than 90-100 per minute) or irregular pulse should also alert, such deviations may indicate ischemic disease, violation of the conducting system of the heart and the regulation of cardiac activity.

Puffiness

Severe edema, especially towards the end of the day, can occur due to the abundance of salty foods, kidney problems, including heart failure. This happens because the heart cannot cope with pumping blood, it accumulates in the lower extremities, causing edema.

Dizziness and motion sickness in transport

Frequent dizziness may be the first symptoms of an impending stroke, but they are also a manifestation of diseases of the middle ear and visual analyzer.

A headache, especially a throbbing headache, and a feeling of nausea - may indicate an increase in blood pressure.

Dyspnea

The feeling of shortness of breath, severe shortness of breath are symptoms that may indicate angina pectoris and heart failure. Sometimes there is an asthmatic variant of myocardial infarction, accompanied by a feeling of suffocation. Only a specialist can distinguish lung disease from cardiac dyspnea.

Nausea and vomiting

It is very easy to confuse vascular complications with gastritis or worsening ulcers, the symptoms of which are nausea and vomiting. The fact is that the lower part of the heart is close to the stomach, so symptoms can be deceiving and even resemble food poisoning.

Pain resembling osteochondrosis

Pain between the shoulder blades, in the neck, left arm, shoulder, wrist, even in the jaw can be a sure sign of not only osteochondrosis or myositis, but also heart problems.

A symptom of angina pectoris can be the occurrence of such symptoms after physical exertion or emotional turmoil. If pain occurs even during rest and after using special heart medications, this symptom may indicate an approaching heart attack.

Chest pain

A burning sensation and squeezing, obvious, dull, severe or periodic pain, spasm - all these sensations in the chest are the most certain. With a spasm of the coronary vessels, the pain is burning and acute, which is a sign of angina pectoris, which often occurs even at rest, for example at night. An attack of angina pectoris is a harbinger of myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease (IHD).

Severe, prolonged pain behind the sternum, radiating into left hand, neck and back are typical for developing myocardial infarction. Chest pains during myocardial infarction are extremely severe, up to loss of consciousness. By the way, one of the most common causes of a heart attack is atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels.

Chest pain radiating to the back of the head, back, groin is a symptom of an aneurysm or aortic dissection.

Dull and wavy pain in the region of the heart, which does not spread to other areas of the body, against the background of an increase in temperature, indicates the development of pericarditis.

However, acute chest pain can also indicate other conditions, such as intercostal neuralgia, shingles, radiculitis in the neck or chest, spontaneous pneumothorax, or esophageal spasm.

Heart palpitations

A strong heartbeat can occur with increased physical exertion, as a result of emotional arousal of a person, or due to overeating. But a strong heartbeat is very often an early harbinger of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

A strong heartbeat manifests itself as a feeling of a malfunction in the work of the heart, it seems that the heart is almost "jumping out" of the chest or freezing. Attacks may be accompanied by weakness, discomfort in the region of the heart, and fainting.

Such symptoms can speak of tachycardia, angina pectoris, heart failure, impaired blood supply to organs.

If you have at least one of the listed symptoms, it is important to immediately consult a doctor and undergo tests that will reveal true reason ailments. One of the most effective methods treatment of any disease is its early diagnosis and timely prevention.

Pathology of the cardiovascular system is the leading cause of premature mortality in the population. Diseases have an extensive classification. Therefore, it is important to have an idea of ​​the main pathologies that annually claim the lives of thousands of people.

Shortness of breath is the main criterion for many cardiac pathologies. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is not associated with physical activity and is able to manifest itself even at night. The symptom manifests itself when the heart cannot throw enough blood into the pulmonary system. As a result of this deficiency, the lips and nasolabial triangle become bluish.

Redness of the tip of the nose is another symptom that appears even at the beginning of the development of the disease.

When cardiac pathology occurs, patients develop swelling of the lower extremities. The heart cannot cope with the high load, due to which the liquid stagnates in the legs and does not rise through the vessels.

Hidden signs

Signs of heart problems begin to appear long before the full onset of the disease. Typical symptoms for a sick heart are:

• Feeling of constant lack of air in the lungs.
• Chest pain. Most often, the patient confuses chest pain with heartburn or muscle spasm without seeking medical attention.
• Constant fatigue, lethargy - most often occurs in females, who, due to their busyness, do not pay any attention to her.
• Decreased sexual activity or manifestation of erectile dysfunction - occurs in men due to the development of coronary heart disease.
• The appearance of snoring during sleep and insomnia also indicates the development of hidden symptoms of the pathology of the cardiovascular system.
• Edema, as a hidden sign of the disease, on early stages the occurrence of cardiac pathology appears in the second half of the day, therefore, the patient, if he finds them, considers this to be the result of fatigue and a hard working day.

The first signs of coronary heart disease

Ischemic heart disease (CHD) is a deviation resulting from a lack of oxygen to the myocardium for normal functioning. The main clinical signs of CHD manifestation are:

1. Burning pains behind the chest. By their properties, pains are pressing and bursting in nature. The pains come on in paroxysms, temporarily subsiding and renewing with renewed vigor. The pain can be given under the scapula on the left, shoulder and in the left side of the lower jaw.
2. Weakness, lethargy throughout the body - such symptoms of a sick heart are characteristic of developing coronary artery disease.
3. Shortness of breath - the problem begins to arise from performing small loads, gradually developing into a constant, tormenting the patient.
4. Increased sweating.
5. Rapid heartbeat, arrhythmia, angina attacks.

If you have symptoms of heart problems, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible. The sooner one resorts to medical measures, the less likely it is to develop more formidable complications. Treatment of heart disease must be strictly medically supervised to prevent serious situations such as myocardial infarction from occurring.

Types of cardiovascular pathologies

Conventionally, all diseases of the heart activity can be divided into several types, which differ in localization, symptoms and pathological processes that affect the functioning of the organ:

1. Atherosclerotic heart disease is caused by the development of an ailment that occurs due to the accumulation of fatty plaques in the arteries and veins, gradually blocking the vessel. The causes of this pathology may be obesity, smoking, increased blood clots.
2. Rheumatic disease is the most common type of pathology in which the heart valve ceases to perform its intended function.
3. Coronary heart disease. This disease is associated with a lack of blood circulation. It is caused by a low supply of oxygen to the muscular part of the heart and the occurrence of atrophy of its walls.
4. Bovine heart disease is also a common disease in which the organ grows significantly, reaching 2-3 times its normal size.

Each type includes a large number of diseases that determine the location of the pathological process and symptoms.

The most common heart diseases

Pathologies of the main organ are due to its insufficient work, due to the influence of external and internal influences on it. Today, the most common diseases of the heart system are:

1. Arrhythmia is a lack of rhythm in the work of the muscular part of the heart.
2. Arterial hypertension or hypotension - high or low blood pressure.
3. Ischemic heart disease is a disease of the muscular part of the organ associated with insufficient oxygen saturation of the blood.
4. Angina pectoris is a sudden pain behind the sternum resulting from insufficient blood circulation in the muscle layer of the heart.
5. Myocardial infarction is a necrosis of the muscular wall of an organ.
6. Congenital heart defects - anatomical changes in the structure.
7. Rheumatic diseases of the cardiovascular system.
8. Diseases of the arteries of the heart.

These diseases require immediate therapy, which is aimed not only at treating symptoms, but also affects the cause of the pathological process.

Heart failure and coronary artery disease

Ischemic heart disease is a disease that occurs in connection with damage to the muscular layer of an organ. This category includes angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, which characterize the main pathological processes that provoke poor formation of the heart muscle. IHD is a consequence that causes the onset of the spread of acute pathology, if signs of a sick heart are not detected in a timely manner and treatment is not started. Before heart failure develops, ischemia dominates the muscular wall of the organ for a long time.

Heart failure is a disease in which the arteries of the heart cannot release a stable volume of blood into the bloodstream due to the low muscle strength of the organ. This situation occurs against the background of untreated ischemic heart disease and is a complication of a long-term ischemic condition.

If the treatment of ischemic heart disease is not started in time, heart failure develops. It is necessary to detect and cure ischemia in time in order to prevent the appearance of more formidable pathologies of the muscles of the main organ.

Inflammatory processes in the heart

The main inflammatory processes occurring in the organ are endocarditis, myocarditis and pericarditis. These pathologies can be rheumatic and non-rheumatic, depending on the affecting part of the heart. They are infectious and non-infectious.

With endocarditis, the inflammatory process is localized in the inner wall of the organ - the endocardium. The main clinical signs of pathology are heart murmurs when listening, then - symptoms of circulatory insufficiency of the main organ.

Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease that occurs in the muscular wall of the heart (myocardium). This disease is caused by such clinical symptoms as expansion of the size of the main organ, shortness of breath, tachycardia, arrhythmia and circulatory disorders. Objectively, on the ECG with this pathology, a change in the T wave is noted.

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the outer membranes of an organ. This pathology is due to two directions of the course of the disease. The dry form of the disease is clinically accompanied by persistent pain in the heart, which has an aching dull character. Objectively, when listening, there is a pericardial friction noise. Exudative - causes shortness of breath at rest, patients are in a forced position, heart sounds are muffled, coronary insufficiency and an increase in the size of the organ occur.

Only specialists know how to properly treat an inflamed heart. Nutrition in the treatment of these diseases is based on limiting the consumption of salty and fatty foods, with the infectious nature of inflammation, patients are prescribed a prescription for antibacterial drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ortofen, Indomethacin tablets), a glucocorticoid agent (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone) ...

Heart defects

Heart disease is an anomaly resulting from a change in the anatomical structure of an organ, valves and large vessels, there is an interruption in the supply of blood to tissues. There are congenital and acquired defects.

Congenital heart defects are abnormalities that form in the fetus in the womb. The reasons for the development of these pathologies can be diseases during pregnancy, taking illegal drugs and harmful substances during gestation, as well as heredity and poor environmental conditions.

Acquired defects are formed after a person has suffered other heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, trauma to the heart muscle.

Depending on the location of the pathological area, there are:

• Valve defects - when the work of a valve (mitral, aortic, tricuspid, pulmonary) is disrupted in the heart.
• Septal defects of the heart - interventricular and interatrial.

Diagnosis of congenital defects begins with a complete examination of the pregnant woman. A woman undergoes ultrasound screening 3 times during gestation. A newborn baby is also subject to verification immediately after birth. The basis for the diagnosis of acquired heart disease is the constant medical examination of people (age does not matter). This includes ultrasound, auscultation, and echocardiography.

In the early stages of heart defects, the most effective method treatment - surgical, in which the development of the disease is eliminated or facilitated by an operative method. Therapy for late stages of defects is aimed at maintaining conditions in a conservative way. In this case, a medicine is prescribed to eliminate the symptoms.

Diagnosis of cardiac diseases

Diagnostics allows you to monitor the work of the heart system. Constant monitoring makes it possible to identify such ailments in the early stages and avoid complications. The main methods for recognizing heart disease are:

• auscultation of the heart;
• percussion;
• palpation;
• echocardiography;
• stress tests;
• Velergometry;
• x-ray of the heart;
• coronary angiography.

It is necessary to undergo examination by a cardiologist at least once a year. This will allow not only to avoid the occurrence of advanced stages of the disease, but also to maintain health for many years. Treatment is carried out necessarily under the supervision of a doctor, without using any traditional methods.

The heart is the motor that drives the entire body. Timely recovery from pathological processes means improving health and increasing life span. Prevention is also a great way to prevent heart disease.

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Ecology, unhealthy diet, bad habits, daily stress, the rapid pace of modern life and the lack of proper rest wear out the heart.

Not surprisingly, the incidence of heart disease is increasing every year. Moreover, it is heart pathologies that rank first among the causes of death.

At the same time, many heart problems can be avoided if they are diagnosed on time. And for this it is important not to miss those first "bells" that will tell us that the heart is working to wear and tear. They will be discussed below.

1. Prolonged cough

In most cases, coughing is one of the symptoms of a cold or flu. But if the cough does not go away within a month, despite the use of antitussives and expectorant drugs, this may indicate heart problems.

The cough in heart failure is dry and irritating, and most often it appears in the evening, especially when lying down, although it can be disturbing during the day.

In addition, pink, frothy mucus may be secreted when coughing.

2. Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath is one of the important signs of heart failure.

In the initial stages, cardiac dyspnea worries only after intense physical or emotional stress. But with the progression of the pathology, even a 10-minute walk causes a feeling of acute lack of air.

If shortness of breath torments you even at rest, especially when lying down, because of which you are forced to sleep in a sitting or semi-sitting position, if you find it hard to breathe in a well-ventilated room, make an urgent appointment with a therapist or cardiologist.

3. Snoring and sleep apnea

Do you wake up at night from your own snoring? Does your breathing stop during sleep for 5 to 10 seconds? Don't ignore these symptoms, which are indicative of heart problems.

Snoring and sleep apnea (this is how short-term respiratory arrest during sleep is called) lead to hypoxia of the heart muscle, which triples the risk of developing a heart attack!

4. Pain syndrome

Pain between the shoulder blades and in the neck, radiating to the left arm, shoulder and even the jaw is often accompanied by heart disease.

To arise pain syndrome can either after physical or emotional stress, or for no reason.

The pain can be squeezing, dull, or sharp. In addition, the patient complains of a burning sensation in the chest, against which the fear of death may develop.

Particularly noteworthy is the pain localized in the chest area and does not go away after taking cardiac nitrate-containing drugs. Such pain can be a sign of developing myocardial infarction.

Any pain in the chest and heart area should be a reason to visit a cardiologist, as it may indicate angina pectoris, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, aortic aneurysm, pericarditis.

5. Chronic fatigue

A weak heart is unable to provide adequate blood circulation, as a result of which the cells and tissues of the body experience a deficiency of oxygen and nutrients, which leads to the development of chronic fatigue.

If the feeling of weakness and fatigue is your constant companion, if even prolonged rest does not bring a feeling of vigor, if you are physically unable to perform the usual activities (for example, take a shower or make breakfast), this may indicate a disturbance in the work of the cardiovascular system.

6. Headache

Pulsating headache, concentrated in the area of ​​the temples and tormenting mainly in the morning, may be the result of high blood pressure.

In turn, hypertension can become a trigger in the development of serious heart diseases, including stroke and heart attack.

7. Nausea and loss of appetite

One of the symptoms of chronic heart failure is loss of appetite, accompanied by abdominal pain and flatulence.

In addition, people with heart problems often experience nausea after eating even a small amount of food.

Important! Short bouts of intestinal colic are often the harbingers of a heart attack.

8. Dizziness and loss of consciousness

Blood pressure surges in combination with impaired blood circulation lead to the following symptoms:

• sudden dizziness
• light-headedness
• short-term fainting.

The listed signs may precede a stroke, therefore, in no case should they be ignored.

9. Frequent urination

Nocturnal diuresis is a symptom of chronic heart failure.

The volume of excreted urine increases at night due to increased blood supply to the kidneys (during the day, the body intensively supplies blood to the heart and brain, the activity of which significantly decreases at night).

10. Pale and blue skin

Failures in the work of the heart lead to the fact that this organ is not able to transport blood in full to all organs and systems of the body. The lack of blood supply causes the skin to become unnaturally pale.

This symptom is observed with the following pathologies:

• anemia,
• vasospasm;
• rheumatism,
• insufficiency of the valves of the aorta.

In the chronic course of heart failure, the lips may turn pale or acquire a bluish tint.

If the mitral valve is disrupted, the cheeks will be colored bluish-red or purple.

With hypertension, the nose changes, which becomes red, bumpy, with capillaries protruding on the surface of the skin.

11. Swelling of the legs

Disturbances in the work of the heart prevent the removal of fluid from the tissue and provoke poor blood circulation, especially in those parts of the body that are far from the heart. As a result, fluid accumulates under the skin and edema forms.

Most often, the legs (namely the feet and legs) swell, and this happens in evening time, while the swelling disappears in the morning.

At first, the swelling is small and subtle, so their appearance is not given special attention. But as the heart failure progresses, the swelling increases, making it difficult to walk.

Ignoring this symptom can lead to the fact that not only the legs, but also other parts of the body, including internal organs, begin to swell.

12. Rapid heartbeat

Our heart begins to beat faster with intense physical exertion, emotional arousal, and even when overeating. And this is a normal physiological process.

But if the heartbeat increases for no apparent reason, it may indicate heart problems.

Therefore, if you regularly experience a sensation in which the heart seems to "jump out" of the chest, do not hesitate to visit a cardiologist. Especially if such attacks of rapid heartbeat are accompanied by weakness, dizziness, pain in the heart or fainting.

These symptoms may indicate tachycardia, angina pectoris, heart failure, and fraying of the heart muscle.

Remember that early diagnosis of heart disease is the key to their successful cure and maintaining a high quality of life!

Check how your heart works

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, diseases of the cardiovascular system are the most common cause of death worldwide. Despite this, in most cases, they are easily treatable and, having timely identified the symptoms of a particular heart disease, the chances of recovery are very high.

Common symptoms of heart disease:

• Swelling and excessive sweating. If the heart is unable to pump blood normally, the patient may experience swelling under the skin or eyes;
• Fatigue and fatigue. This symptom should be addressed Special attention, if it appears suddenly, comes for no apparent objective reason and does not pass for a long time. May be accompanied by tremors of the limbs;
• Chest pain. It is a manifestation of many heart diseases - from ischemic heart disease and imminent myocardial infarction, if the pain is burning (before a heart attack, it is especially strong and can be given to the left arm, neck and back), to inflammatory pathological processes of the cardiovascular system (if it is supplemented by an increased body temperature );
• Strong heartbeat;
• Dyspnea. The feeling of shortness of breath and severe shortness of breath can speak not only of lung diseases, but also of heart problems. Asthma attacks are often a harbinger of myocardial infarction. Only doctors can accurately identify the cause of shortness of breath;
• Nausea. The lower parts of the heart are located next to the stomach, therefore, with diseases of the cardiovascular system, the patient may experience frequent bouts of nausea, which outwardly resemble simple poisoning;
• Blood pressure above 140/90 and pulse rate above 80 or below 60 beats / min;
• A cough that does not respond to adequate treatment with antitussive drugs and is aggravated by lying down.

Women are less likely than men to suffer from such diseases. The most common symptoms of heart disease in women are cough, shortness of breath, and swelling.

Below is a list of heart diseases, as well as symptoms and treatment for each individual diagnosis.

Cardiac ischemia

Ischemic heart disease is a violation of the flow of blood to the myocardium (heart muscle) due to damage to the arteries through which it is supplied to it. The chest pain described above is the most striking symptom of its manifestation. These symptoms of heart disease in men are more common than in women, since the statistics of the disease itself show the prevalence of the number of male patients. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely cure coronary artery disease with modern means - treatment is usually aimed at preventing the disease from progressing to a severe form.

Only a cardiologist can adequately plan the treatment of this heart disease. Patients are usually prescribed the following drugs:

• drugs that reduce the formation of blood clots by reducing blood clotting;
• drugs that block receptors for the mediators of adrenaline and norepinephrine;
• medicines belonging to the group of nitrates ("Nitroglycerin", etc.);
• diuretics.

IHD is susceptible and surgical treatment- Patients with this diagnosis often undergo coronary artery bypass grafting and implantation of a medical balloon.

Myocardial infarction is an advanced stage of coronary artery disease. With it, the blood supply to one of its sections completely stops.

IHD appears more often in older people. Obesity, arterial hypertension, high salt intake, smoking and alcohol abuse, low physical activity can contribute to its occurrence. The onset of ischemic heart disease is also possible with high sports loads without preliminary preparation for them.

Arrhythmia

Frequent fluctuations in pulse rate may indicate the presence of arrhythmia in the patient. Many experts do not consider arrhythmia to be heart disease, but this symptom often means that the patient may have more serious problems. Some cardiac pathologies, according to the WHO classification, can be attributed to particular forms of arrhythmia, for example, heart block, flutter, atrial fibrillation, etc.

Arrhythmia can be treated with drugs such as Verapamil, Timolol, Magnesium sulfate, Disopyramide and some others. Unauthorized reception of data medicines unacceptable. When treating arrhythmias, decoctions based on flowers of hawthorn, motherwort, valerian, hops, mint, St. John's wort can be used, but even here you need to remember: herbal medicine cannot completely replace traditional treatment.

Heart failure

Heart failure, like arrhythmia, is not classified by many experts as a disease. In this syndrome, due to poor work of the heart, the blood supply to other organs and tissues is disrupted. Depending on the rate of flow, the disease is divided into two forms: acute and chronic. Symptoms of heart disease in men and women will be the same: blue lips and limbs, shortness of breath, dry wheezing, hemoptysis.

For the treatment of acute heart failure, doctors take all the necessary measures to normalize blood circulation, achieve normal blood pressure and heart rate. If acute heart failure was caused by myocardial infarction, the pain symptom is eliminated. Further therapeutic measures involve the therapy of the disease that caused the acute form of heart failure.

With chronic heart failure, the patient is advised to reduce the amount of water consumed, refuse salty foods and adhere to a certain diet to normalize body weight. For treatment, the doctor usually prescribes drugs of the nitrate group, diuretics, cardiac glycosides (for example, digoxin) and antihypertensive (lowering blood pressure) drugs, etc. Self-medication for heart failure is categorically unacceptable.

Heart defects

Heart disease is a malfunction of the heart caused by abnormal changes in one or more heart valves. Heart disease can be either acquired or congenital.

With this disease, the patient has stagnation of blood on the way of the small and large circles of blood circulation. This happens due to the loss of the ability to regulate blood flow in one or more valves.

Medicines in the treatment of heart disease are used only to eliminate inflammatory processes. For a complete cure, surgical intervention is required. Earlier, congenital heart disease did not give in to a complete cure, but thanks to modern advances in surgery, now it will not be difficult.

Heart neurosis

Cardiac neurosis occurs with general neurosis. Complaints that appear with this disease are heart palpitations, high blood pressure, pain in the heart, feeling of numbness in the limbs, dizziness, sleep disturbance, increased sweating, general weakness, etc. Each individual will have different symptoms and treatment for this disease. but the complaints are always strong. Pain with neurosis of the heart lasts at least several hours, sometimes they are present up to 2-3 days. Patients can sometimes hear their own pulse and this will cause them anxiety. The disease may be accompanied by a slight increase in temperature (up to 37.5).

Elimination of such a condition is possible only after the patient has been cured of a complete neurosis. Alcohol and drugs are categorically contraindicated in patients. When treating neurosis, it is very important to resort not only to medication, but also to psychological ones.

Prevention of heart disease

Prevention of heart disease involves the systemic use of certain health-improving measures:

1. Exercise regularly. Physical activity in small amounts can strengthen the heart muscle and increase blood circulation. The most beneficial for heart health are those types of exercises during which the respiratory function of the body is used - jogging, skiing, cycling, etc.
2. Adhering to principles healthy eating... Reception of fatty, salty and spicy foods, if possible, it is better to reduce to a minimum, but steamed fish, raw avocados, flaxseed oil, nuts and cereals will be useful for the work of the heart due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in them ...
3. Avoiding stress. Stressful situations contribute to the production of the hormone adrenaline in a person. If a calm response to stress is not possible, it is recommended to take herbal sedatives - valerian, mint, motherwort, etc.
4. Rejection of bad habits. Smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages accelerate the formation of blood clots and destroy the walls of blood vessels. Tobacco and ethanol can cause coronary heart disease, arrhythmias, and other serious health consequences. If alcohol consumption cannot be avoided, it is recommended to eat as many fresh green vegetables as possible while drinking it.
5. Regular examinations and visits to a cardiologist. Usually, the suffering from heart disease is caused not by the fact of their existence, but by the dire consequences that have come due to the late detection of the diagnosis. The minimum procedure required to undergo at least 1 time per year is an ECG. If there are complaints, the cardiologist may refer you to other examinations.
6. Fast and timely treatment of all emerging infectious diseases, especially in old age, in order to avoid possible complications.
7. Observing all the above recommendations, it will be possible to reduce the likelihood of such diseases by almost 2 times.

What are the first symptoms of heart problems?

The very first sign of incipient heart problems. Shortness of breath occurs when the heart is still slightly affected, but can no longer pump enough blood.

These are signs of vascular disorders. Edema in heart disease begins to appear in cases where the heart ceases to cope with the increased load and decompensation occurs.

Blue lips

In case of insufficient blood circulation of the heart, a pale or bluish color of the lips is noted. If the lips are completely pale, anemia (anemia) should be excluded.

If you see a person in front of you who is obese, it is almost guaranteed that he has cardiovascular disease. Extra pounds is a serious additional burden on the heart.

The bluish-red color of the cheeks can be an indicator of abnormalities in the mitral valve.

Red bumpy nose

A red, bumpy nose streaked with blood vessels suggests hypertension.

Signs of a medical emergency:

• superficial shortness of breath, in which the patient cannot take a full breath;
• severe pallor or abnormally red complexion;
• poorly palpable, but rapid pulse;
• suddenly clouded look;
• slurred speech;
• the inability of the patient to respond to speech addressed to him;
• loss of consciousness.

You should not ignore the feeling of discomfort in the chest, heaviness or pain behind the sternum, pain radiating to the arm, back, under the shoulder blade, in the throat, in the jaw, lack of air - these are symptoms of a heart attack.

Heart disease: hidden signs

The signs of a heart attack are well known to us: pain or pressure behind the breastbone, shortness of breath, heart rhythm disturbances, fear, sweating, dizziness, and sometimes loss of consciousness. However, there are a number of signs by which one can suspect and warn him long before an attack.

The first signs of heart failure begin to appear several months or even years before a heart attack. These may be the following signs.

What can be confused with the pain from angina pectoris. with heartburn, with toothache, with intercostal neuralgia, with muscle pain, with nerve entrapment. It's easy to check: take nitroglycerin. Pain with angina pectoris will significantly decrease or stop.

These "pains" that occur periodically in men over 40 and in women over 45 should be the reason for contacting a therapist for a heart check.

Feeling short of air

Shortness of breath is rapid breathing and a feeling of shortness of breath that occurs during physical or emotional stress, and then during daily activities. This is a symptom of either lung or heart problems.

"Heart" shortness of breath often occurs in the supine position. It happens that the heart a few days before the attack even sleep while sitting or suffer from insomnia.

Increased fatigue, tiredness

This symptom is noted by most women who have had a heart attack. An uncharacteristic fatigue from daily work may have pursued them for several months before the attack, but they did not pay attention to it.

65% of men who are diagnosed with coronary heart disease may suffer from erectile dysfunction for several years before. In women, this manifests itself as a decrease in libido, difficulty in reaching orgasm.

If the problem with erection persists for a long enough time and does not depend on stress at work or physical fatigue, this is a reason to contact a therapist or cardiologist and have your heart checked.

Snoring and sleep apnea

According to statistics, sleep apnea increases the risk of a heart attack three times over the next 5 years. That is why difficulty breathing during sleep and snoring should not go unnoticed - these are problems that require immediate correction by the therapist. Perhaps together with a cardiologist.

Gingivitis and periodontitis

Oddly enough, gum disease and bleeding can also be associated with heart disease.

There are two theories to explain this fact. Firstly, with cardiovascular diseases, the blood supply to the body deteriorates, small arteries are affected, and the tissues around the tooth are very sensitive to the amount of oxygen supplied. Secondly, it is known that diseases of the oral cavity can be complicated by heart disease (for example, myocarditis after angina). This means that bacteria that cause gum disease can be involved in damaging the arteries that feed the heart, and in the development of inflammation in them.

When the heart stops working at full strength, the blood cannot remove metabolic products and fluid from the tissues. As a result, edema is formed - this is a sign of heart failure. Subtle at first, they build up over time. Swelling can be suspected from shoes and rings. This symptom requires a mandatory examination of the heart.

Violation of the rhythm of the heart can manifest itself long before the attack. Sometimes it is revealed only under load. A prophylactic ECG helps to identify it, which should be performed once a year for men over 40 and women over 45.

People with risk factors for myocardial infarction should be especially attentive to the presence of these symptoms. These include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, previous heart attacks in the patient or in relatives, smoking, diabetes... hypodynamia. obesity.

The first signs of coronary heart disease

Coronary artery disease consists of several diseases, the root cause of which is a lack of oxygen. This factor has a significant effect on the work of the heart muscle, as a result of which the organ loses its previous performance.

Like any other disease, coronary artery disease is best prevented or treated early, rather than started. Therefore, it is very important to be able to identify the symptoms of this ailment.

Depending on the form of the disease, the symptoms of coronary heart disease will vary. Many people live with the disease for several years and do not even realize that their heart muscle is experiencing an acute lack of oxygen. If you visit massage chairs several times a week. you run in the morning, have a hearty lunch and dinner and do not feel discomfort in the heart area, then such ischemic disease is considered asymptomatic. In most cases, a person feels some pain in the region of the heart, but cannot understand what is the reason.

Do not think that the pain will be permanent. There are so-called peaks and valleys of coronary artery disease. This disease develops slowly, and the symptoms of the disease themselves can change over time. Sometimes it seems that the disease has receded, but in fact it began to develop along a different path.

The first symptoms of the disease may be back pain. Some people begin to feel pain in the left side of the jaw and in the left arm. If you begin to notice a rapid heartbeat and excessive sweating, then you should see a doctor. The most common symptom of the disease is pain in the left side of the chest. You may not even be able to use the massager. because you will feel his touch incredibly strong. With overexcitation or heavy exertion, a patient with ischemic disease develops shortness of breath.

There is a so-called arrhythmic form of ischemic disease, in which a person has a change in the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle. Atrial fibrillation is the most popular in this form of the disease. At the same time, interruptions in the heart, at the same time, people sometimes hardly feel and for a long time do not pay attention to them. All the symptoms that we have cited above are typical for a disease of moderate severity. If a person has an ailment, then oxygen starvation will not only cause severe pain in the heart area, but can also lead to myocardial infarction.

In the latter case, the scary thing is that after a heart attack, part of the heart muscle cells die off and it is impossible to restore them.

An untrained person can run for health and get sick. How to lose weight and exercise, eat meat, drink coffee and wine without consequences for the heart? Olga Evtukh, head of the outpatient department of the cardio center of the 2nd city clinical hospital, answered TUT.BY's questions.

Olga Evtukh has been in medicine since 1987. Mom proposed to enter BSMU when Olga was still in school. After graduating from the university, she was assigned to the clinic and realized that medicine is a vocation. She came to cardiology in 1997 and specializes in functional diagnostics using stress tests, ECG, ultrasound, and other equipment

"Patients appear once and for a lifetime"

- Cardiology is an elite direction in medicine, a very interesting and relevant specialty: more than 50% of people suffer from cardiac diseases. In the world, cardiology is developing by leaps and bounds, in Belarus, cardiac surgery, X-ray endovascular interventions are especially active. Recommendations for diagnosis and treatment in cardiology change at intervals of 2-3 years.

Patients appear here once and for life. You lead them for months, years, sometimes decades. Ultimately, you get to know the whole family. Why? In a family, a woman controls how the man is treated and observes the doctor's recommendations.

- What does heart health depend on the most: heredity, age or lifestyle factors?

- There is something that you can and cannot influence. It is impossible to influence heredity, therefore, in a conversation with a patient, be sure to ask if the parents have cardiovascular diseases. Especially acute: heart attacks, strokes in mom up to 65 years old, in dad - up to 55. It is important whether there were early deaths in blood relatives in the male line.

Cardiovascular diseases also depend on age: the older you are, the higher the likelihood that your blood pressure will rise or coronary heart disease will develop.

And there are factors that you need to think about from a young age. V Lately it is believed that prevention should be started even during intrauterine development Mom. It is important whether the baby is full-term, as the mother behaved in the period before birth. The mother's smoking is a disaster for the unborn child, and passive smoking is no less dangerous. The health of a pregnant woman is not only herself, but also her environment.

Factors that you yourself can influence are diet, lifestyle, lack of bad habits, weight and body mass index. Recently, the importance of waist circumference has been widely discussed! Blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and physical activity are important.

All this is called a healthy lifestyle. But it is more difficult to comply with than taking pills. Many people say: "I want to eat what I want, tell me which pills to take."

"Walking, cycling and even gardening are welcome."

- Is it still useful to go in for sports and how to do it so as not to harm yourself?

- Sports, or rather physical education are very useful for everyone. You need to walk at least 4-5 kilometers daily or every other day (they often talk about 10,000 steps) at a moderately accelerated pace, in 2-3 steps. This pace produces a sensation of light heartbeat or mild shortness of breath. You can replace walking with exercise.

Physical activity should be in both a healthy person and a patient, the need for this piece of life is not even discussed. The difference is that the patient has - after he has consulted with the doctor.

We ask Olga if running is suitable.

- Running may be suitable, but it is, rather, for young people who are used to it, for those in whose life sport has been present since youth. You don't need to start running at 50. Here's physical education for 10 minutes in the morning - n please. But why did I mention walking in the first place? Because it doesn't need special equipment or costs. Walking is something that anyone can do and in any conditions, there would be a desire.

In general, any kind of physical activity that is preferable for you is welcomed: skating, skiing, cycling ... If someone travels by bus or metro, you can leave the bus stop earlier. It is even suitable to go into the garden if it is a pleasure and a part of life.

The heart is a muscle pump, and this organ has its own vessels. They train and develop through physical activity. Collaterals, or bypass paths of blood circulation, open bypassing some parts of the vessels that are currently sick.

That is, walking, you train your heart. If something happens, you can survive it with the least loss for him.

- Is it possible to prepare a heart if you know that you will have a bad day - for example, a funeral? Or you move and change the climate. Drink herbs, sleep more?

- I have never asked such a question. But you can look more broadly: the events you are listing are stressful situations for the heart and the body as a whole, and any stress is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. On a scale of stress gradation, the most severe loss of relatives, serious illness, or minor and lingering problems. Prevention? Probably the same healthy lifestyle. B vitamins also increase resistance to stress.

"The problem is in fast food, sausages and instant foods."

- Let's talk about nutrition. What foods are most harmful to the heart?

- There is a concept of hypocholesterol diet, or a diet low in cholesterol. The principles can be said very simply: lean meat, boiled or stewed (chicken, veal, beef).

- What about rabbit meat?

- The rabbit is already exotic. If pork, then low-fat, but if fish - then vice versa: seafood, and the fatter, the better. It contains polyunsaturated fatty acids.

But the fat needs to be limited. When asked if it can be eaten, I say: a small piece of unsalted, if you love it very much. In order not to lose the joy of life. But, probably, today there are not so many people for whom lard is the main food product. The main problem is in fast food and instant products: sausages, small sausages, cooked and smoked sausages.

You need to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, up to 400 grams per day - a large bowl. Vegetables should be used to eat meat. We need to restrict flour, pasta, potatoes. If a side dish, then oatmeal or rice. If cereals are black bread.

Of course, you need to limit alcohol. Although, in my personal opinion, it should be present in life, this is an element of primary prevention of atherosclerosis, but the question of the dose arises here: no more than 15 grams in terms of 100% alcohol for a woman and 30 grams for a man. In this case, a week should be at least one, and preferably two "bright" days without alcohol.

- How many times a day can you eat "unhealthy" food?

- If you do not have a tendency to be overweight, then why not have a cup of coffee with cookies? You will not eat cookies of 200, 300, 500 grams. These are easily digestible carbohydrates that need to be limited.

You just need to consider what and how much you eat. After all, a woman's menstrual function ends, the amount of estrogen decreases, and she goes on the same "starting line" with men in terms of the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Women begin to get sick 10-20 years later.

Estrogens protect as long as the woman can continue to give birth. Therefore, if we talk about the number of cookies, then at some age you will swallow them imperceptibly. And at 45 each will be postponed.

Vegetarianism won't save your heart from aging, and coffee won't hurt

- An important question from office workers: how many cups of coffee a day can you drink for an average person who does not complain of heart problems?

- Coffee doesn't count harmful product, it tones up and does not contribute to the development of coronary artery disease. Talk about up to five cups. Why not, if you are absolutely healthy, do not have a tendency to increase blood pressure and do not drink coffee with a cigarette.

But it is better in the morning, because coffee activates and can cause insomnia. In case of health problems, coffee should be limited: only in the first half of the day, a maximum of two cups, if you are a fan of this drink. After all, it increases the heart rate, increases blood pressure, increases vascular tone. And if you have had a heart attack, you have hypertension, then all your treatment is aimed at lowering your blood pressure and pulse.

We also ask Olga what she thinks about vegetarianism.

- Vegetarianism is a change in thinking, philosophy. If you know why you need it, then why not? But you need to study the problem, there must be someone who will "lead" you. There is nothing wrong with that, but this is for a healthy person. If you have a bunch of diseases and you go to extremes, it is not clear where it will lead.

- I won't tell you how to get fat (laughs). And to lose weight - with the hypocholesterol diet that I talked about, besides, increase the amount motor activity and reduce the amount of food consumed. Many people lose weight well if they stop eating after a certain time in the evening: for example, after six, if it doesn't work out - after seven, eight, and so on, gradually raising the bar.

- Doesn't your heart suffer?

- No need to lose weight quickly. First, you need to stabilize your weight and stop gaining weight. In general, the slower you lose weight, the more stable the process of losing weight. Eating behavior must change. If you change your eating behavior and slowly lose weight, your heart will only be happy.

"If you are healthy, you don't feel how it works"

- But how to understand that something is wrong with you and your heart, but not panic about every occasion?

- There are complaints that speak of a threat to health and life, they need to be known. A typical picture when one should not hesitate is if a person grabbed his chest and tries to inhale.

By and large, we are talking about the signs of acute coronary syndrome, it is also called angina pectoris. This is a sudden pressing chest pain that requires a visit to a doctor or often an ambulance. If you do not provide assistance in time, then the mortality rate can reach 20-25%.

In this case, the heart does not always hurt in the area of ​​the heart. In general, headaches or dizziness can be signs of cardiovascular disease, discomfort in the chest area, arrhythmias and interruptions, palpitations, edema. Sudden loss of consciousness also does not always indicate a problem in the brain. And in any case, you need to see a doctor.

It is necessary to pay attention to the appearance of shortness of breath - a feeling of lack of air with little physical exertion. It is expected when jogging, but you need to think about it if you consider yourself healthy, but must stop when climbing one floor, because you have nothing to breathe.

- There is an opinion that a healthy person does not feel his heart. Is it so?

- It means that if you are healthy, you do not feel how it works.

"Men get sick more often"

- Is an unexpected death due to a detached blood clot predictable?

- By and large, it is predictable if a person turns to a doctor. A person, especially a man over 40 years old, should regularly contact a therapist for a minimal examination: general analysis blood and urine, biochemical blood test with determination of the level of cholesterol, glucose, ECG. If there are complaints from the heart - a deeper study: maybe stress tests, if there are indications - and an ultrasound.

But there is also such a thing as sudden cardiac death. This does not mean that the blood clot came off and flew somewhere. This means that an atherosclerotic plaque was deposited in the coronary vessels of the heart and the lining of the plaque “exploded”. Moreover, the plaque can cover up to 50% of the vessel, but you will feel something only if, for example, you go to the mountains with a backpack.

When a plaque breaks, a blood clot forms in its place and blocks the movement of blood in the vessel. In fact, I'm telling you how a heart attack develops, when a violation of blood flow leads to the death of the heart muscle. The plaque has a lipid core and an operculum. The lipid core is cholesterol.

According to the doctor, the fact that men are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases is not a myth:

“But women are catching up with them and even ahead of them by fifty. On the other hand, men have more risk factors: for example, they constitute the bulk of smokers. Men are examined less often, pay less attention to themselves, although they may have complaints for a long time. They just have no time for it. Still, they feel young and strong, they turn when someone from the inner circle scares a lot - dies or gets sick.

"700 people are registered annually after suffering a heart attack"

Olga said that there is such a device - an aggregometer, which determines platelet aggregation. Such studies have always been performed, but they are laborious and take more than 60 minutes. And sometimes the decision has to be made quickly. This equipment is nothing new: in Europe they have been working with it since 2005, in Russia somewhere since 2011, in Belarus for about two or three years.

- The meaning of the aggregometer, which, by the way, was recently acquired by our cardiology center, is that the analysis is done quickly, within 6-10 minutes. The technique is simple, no special training of a specialist is required and the result is not influenced by the human factor.

What is it for? For the treatment of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or patients with acute coronary syndrome. They may have a stent placed to support the vessel and allow it to pass blood.

A stent is a kind of metal frame, and platelets react to it like a foreign body, which can make the patient's condition even worse than before the operation. To prevent this from happening, the patient must take double antiplatelet therapy for a year, which slows down platelet aggregation.
But it turned out that in 25% of cases it does not work. And without research, you cannot figure out these patients and continue to treat according to the protocol.

- Are there many patients with such problems?

“In our center, about 700 people are annually taken on dispensary records after a heart attack, plus patients with chronic ischemic heart disease who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention. This is a huge problem. And the equipment that we have purchased allows us to determine the state of the blood and the sensitivity to therapy at the very beginning.

As you know, cardiovascular diseases rank first among the most common and dangerous diseases of our time. There are many reasons for this, but the main ones are genetic predisposition and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Cardiovascular diseases are numerous, occur in different ways and have different origins. They can arise as a result of inflammatory processes, congenital developmental defects, injuries, intoxication, pathological changes in metabolic processes, as well as as a result of causes that are poorly understood at the present time.

However, with such a variety of causes of diseases associated with disruption of the cardiovascular system, these diseases combine common symptoms that are manifested in these pathologies. Therefore, there are general rules recognition of the first signs of the manifestation of the disease. You need to know them in order to be able to avoid complications, and sometimes the very disease of the cardiovascular system.

The main ones that allow us to talk about the pathology associated with the work of the cardiovascular system:

Pain and discomfort in the chest

Pain is one of the most common symptoms of diseases associated with a malfunction of the cardiovascular system. If the pain is burning, acute, then most often there is a spasm of the coronary vessels, which leads to insufficient nutrition of the heart itself. Such pains are called angina pectoris. They can occur during exercise, low temperature, stress. Angina pectoris occurs when the blood flow cannot meet the oxygen demand of the heart muscle. The doctor can recognize angina pectoris, or angina pectoris, already at the first visit of the patient. The situation is worse with the diagnosis of deviations. For a correct diagnosis, observation of the course of angina pectoris, analysis of inquiries and examinations of the patient is necessary. Additional research is required - daily ECG monitoring (ECG recording during the day).

There are rest angina and exertional angina. Rest angina pectoris is not associated with physical efforts, often occurs at night, has common features with a severe attack of angina pectoris, often accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. Angina pectoris is stable, when attacks occur with a more or less certain frequency and are provoked by a load of approximately the same degree, as well as unstable, in which the attack occurs for the first time or the nature of the attacks changes: they occur unexpectedly and last longer, signs appear atypical for previous attacks ( progressive angina). Unstable angina is dangerous because it can lead to the development of myocardial infarction (MI). Patients with this type of angina pectoris must be hospitalized.

Do not forget that an attack of angina pectoris can be a harbinger of coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarction. In this regard, when the first symptoms of angina pectoris appear, the patient needs to conduct an electrocardiographic examination in the near future, and then carry out medical supervision further development angina pectoris. It is believed that such patients need hospitalization to make an accurate diagnosis, as well as to monitor the course of the disease. To detect abnormalities in the work of the heart, the use of a cardiovisor gives a high result. The services provided by the project site help people independently control the dynamics of changes in the work of the heart and consult a doctor in a timely manner, even in cases where there are no visible manifestations of the disease.

Severe prolonged pain behind the sternum, radiating to the left arm, neck and back is characteristic of developing myocardial infarction. One of the most common causes of myocardial infarction is coronary atherosclerosis. Pain in MI is often intense and is so severe that a person can lose consciousness and shock: pressure drop sharply, pallor appears, cold sweat appears.

Severe chest pain, while radiating to the back of the head, back, and sometimes to the groin, indicates an aneurysm, or aortic dissection.

Dull pain in the region of the heart, now increasing, then weakening without spreading to other areas of the body, against the background of an increasing temperature, indicates the development of pericarditis (inflammation of the heart bag - pericardium).

Sometimes pain can occur in the abdomen, which indicates vascular diseases of the abdominal organs.

In pulmonary embolism (PE), symptoms will depend on the location and size of the clot. The person will feel chest pain radiating to the shoulder, arm, neck and jaw. Shortness of breath is a frequent companion of thromboembolism. Coughing and even hemoptysis may appear. The patient feels weakness, frequent palpitations.

A dull and short stabbing pain in the region of the heart, which occurs regardless of movements and physical efforts, without disturbances in breathing and heartbeat, is characteristic of patients with cardiac neurosis (neurocirculatory dystopia of the cardiac type).

Cardiac neurosis is a fairly common disease of the cardiovascular system. This is due to the tense rhythm of our life and frequent stressful situations. As a rule, this disease occurs after nervous overload. Heart pains can appear for quite a long time - from several hours to several days. With this pathology, pain is not associated with physical overload, which distinguishes it from pain in angina pectoris. The pain disappears after the person calms down and forgets about the excitement he has endured. The neglected cases of neurasthenia can lead to angina pectoris.

With neurosis of the heart, in addition to cardiovascular disorders, patients also have functional disorders of the nervous system - absent-mindedness, increased fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, tremor of the limbs.

Acute chest pain can indicate not only diseases associated with disruption of the cardiovascular system, but also be a consequence of other diseases. These include:

Intercostal neuralgia, which is characterized by acute, paroxysmal, shooting pain along the intercostal spaces (where the nerve passes). Painful points are located at the exit site of the nerves (to the right and left of the spine). With intercostal neuralgia, a violation of the sensitivity of the skin in the intercostal region is possible.

Shingles, the appearance of which (the onset of the disease) is accompanied by pain similar to intercostal neuralgia, but often more intense. In the zone of pain that has arisen (in the intercostal space), the so-called herpetic vesicles appear. The disease is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

Spontaneous pneumothorax, which is characterized by the sudden onset of chest pain, and pain accompanied by severe shortness of breath. This disease is typical for people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases (chronic bronchitis, emphysema, etc.). Sometimes it can occur in people who do not suffer from the listed diseases, with heavy physical exertion, strong sharp exhalation.

Cardiospasm (esophageal spasm), which, in addition to pain behind the breastbone, is characterized by impaired swallowing and belching.

Cervical and thoracic sciatica, accompanied by severe pain associated with movement (turning, tilting the trunk, neck).

Very often, according to a person's description of pain, the doctor can draw a conclusion about the origin of the disease. In this case, a cardiovisor can become an indispensable assistant, which allows you to determine whether the pathology is associated with the work of the cardiovascular system or not.

Palpitations and a feeling of an interruption in the work of the heart

A strong heartbeat does not always mean the development of some kind of pathology, since it can occur with increased physical exertion or as a result of a person's emotional arousal, and even after eating a large amount of food.

In diseases of the cardiovascular system, palpitations are often manifested in the early stages of the disease. The feeling of a malfunction in the work of the heart occurs when the heart rhythm is disturbed. At the same time, it seems to a person that the heart is almost "jumping out" of the chest, then freezes for a certain period of time.

Such symptoms of cardiovascular disease are characteristic of tachycardia, which is accompanied by palpitations with a distinct beginning and end, the duration of which can be from several seconds to several days. Supraventricular tachycardias are accompanied by sweating, increased intestinal motility, profuse urination at the end of an attack, and a slight increase in body temperature. Prolonged seizures may be accompanied by weakness, discomfort in the region of the heart, and fainting. If there are heart diseases, then angina pectoris, heart failure. Ventricular tachycardia is less common and is most commonly associated with heart disease. It leads to impaired blood supply to organs, as well as heart failure. Ventricular tachycardia may be a precursor to ventricular fibrillation.

With a heart block, an irregular contraction can be observed, in particular, the "loss" of individual impulses or a significant slowdown in the heart rate. These symptoms can be combined with dizziness or fainting due to decreased cardiac output.

Dyspnea

With heart disease, shortness of breath can manifest itself in the early stages. This symptom occurs when heart failure: the heart does not work at full capacity and does not pump the required amount of blood through the blood vessels. Most often, heart failure develops as a result of atherosclerosis (deposits in the vessels of atherosclerotic plaques). In the case of a mild form of the disease, shortness of breath worries with intense physical activity. In severe cases, shortness of breath occurs at rest.

The appearance of shortness of breath may be associated with stagnation of blood in the pulmonary circulation, a disorder of cerebral circulation.

Sometimes cardiac dyspnea is difficult to distinguish from dyspnea that accompanies lung disease. Both cardiac and pulmonary dyspnea can be worse at night when a person goes to bed.

With heart failure, fluid retention in the tissues of the body is possible as a result of slowing blood flow, which can cause pulmonary edema and threaten the patient's life.

Severe obesity, which increases the weight of the chest wall, significantly increases the load on the muscles involved in the breathing process. This pathology leads to shortness of breath, which correlates with exercise. Since obesity is a risk factor for the development of ischemic heart disease and contributes to the formation of blood clots in the veins of the legs with subsequent pulmonary embolism, dyspnea can only be associated with obesity if these diseases are excluded.

Plays an important role in the search for the causes of shortness of breath in modern world detraining. Shortness of breath is experienced not only by sick people, but also by healthy people who lead an inactive lifestyle. With severe physical exertion, even a normally functioning left ventricle in such people cannot have time to pump all the blood entering the aorta into the aorta, which ultimately leads to stagnation in the pulmonary circulation and shortness of breath.

One of the symptoms of neurotic conditions is psychogenic shortness of breath, which is easy to distinguish from cardiac dyspnea. People with neurosis of the heart have difficulty breathing: they do not have enough air all the time, and therefore they are forced to periodically take deep breaths. Such patients are characterized by shallow breathing, dizziness and general weakness. Such breathing disorders are of a purely neurogenic nature and are in no way associated with shortness of breath, characteristic of heart or pulmonary diseases.

When making a diagnosis, the doctor can easily distinguish between psychogenic dyspnea and cardiac dyspnea. However, difficulties often arise in the differential diagnosis of psychogenic dyspnea, which differs from the dyspnea characteristic of pulmonary embolism. It is important not to overlook mediastinal swelling and primary pulmonary hypertension. In this case, the diagnosis is made by exclusion after a thorough examination of the patient.

To accurately determine the nature of unpleasant sensations in the chest, as well as shortness of breath, they resort to bicycle ergometry, or Holter ECG monitoring. A high degree of efficiency in detecting pathologies in the work of the heart can be achieved using a computer system for screening analysis of dispersion changes in the ECG signal, which is proposed by the project site.

Edema

The main reason for the appearance of edema is an increase in pressure in the venous capillaries. This is facilitated by reasons such as impaired renal function and increased vascular wall permeability. If the swelling is mainly in the ankles of the legs, this may indicate heart failure.

Cardiac edema will differ between walking and bedridden patients as it is associated with the movement of interstitial fluid under the influence of gravity. Walking patients are characterized by lower leg edema, which increases in the evening and subsides in the morning, after sleep. With further accumulation of fluid, it spreads upward, and in patients there is swelling in the thighs, then the lower back and abdominal wall. In severe cases, edema spreads to the subcutaneous tissue of the chest wall, arms and face.

In bedridden patients, excess fluid usually initially accumulates in the lower back and in the sacrum. Therefore, patients with suspected heart failure should be turned over on their stomach.

Bilateral symmetric leg edema, usually appearing after a long stay "on the legs", accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid pulse and wheezing in the lungs, may be a consequence of acute or chronic heart failure. These swelling tends to spread from the bottom up and get worse towards the end of the day. Asymmetric edema of the legs occurs with phlebothrombosis - the most common reason pulmonary embolism, which can lead to overload in the right ventricle.

There are several ways to determine if your legs are swollen. Firstly, after removing the clothes in the places of compression, for example, with the elastic bands of the socks, pits remain, which do not immediately pass. Secondly, within 30 seconds after pressing with a finger on the anterior surface of the lower leg in the place of the bone closest to the skin surface, even with small edema, a "fossa" remains, which does not pass for a very long time. To accurately determine the cause of the edema, it is necessary to visit a therapist. He will be able to determine which specialist should be contacted first.

Discoloration of the skin (pallor, cyanosis)

Pallor is most often observed with anemia, vasospasm, severe rheumatic heart disease (inflammatory heart disease in rheumatism), insufficiency of the aortic valves.

Cyanosis (cyanosis) of the lips, cheeks, nose, earlobes and limbs is observed with severe degrees of pulmonary heart disease.

Headaches and dizziness

These symptoms very often accompany diseases associated with disturbances in the work of the heart and blood vessels. The main reason for this response of the body is that the brain does not receive the required amount of blood, and therefore, there is no sufficient blood supply to the brain with oxygen. In addition, there is a poisoning of cells with decay products, which are not taken from the brain in a timely manner by the blood.

A headache, especially a throbbing headache, may indicate an increase in blood pressure. However, in other cases, it can be asymptomatic. The increase in pressure must be treated, as it can lead to myocardial infarction, and sometimes to apoplexy.

Inflammatory processes (myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis) and myocardial infarction are accompanied by fever, sometimes fever.

Poor sleep, sticky sweat, anxiety, nausea and chest discomfort when lying on the left side, as well as a feeling of weakness and increased fatigue, may also indicate the appearance of problems in the work of the heart.

When the first suspicions of the existence of problems associated with the work of the heart arise, one should not wait until visible symptoms appear, since many diseases of the cardiovascular system just begin with the appearance in a person of the feeling that “something is wrong in the body ".

Everyone should remember about the need for early diagnosis, because it is no secret to anyone that the sooner the disease is detected, the easier and with the least risk to the patient's life, treatment will be carried out.

One of the most effective means early detection of cardiovascular diseases is the use of a cardiovisor, since when processing ECG data, a new patented method for analyzing microalterations (microscopic tremors) of an ECG signal is used, which allows detecting abnormalities in the work of the heart already in the early stages of the disease.

It is well known that often the disease develops, one might say, completely invisible to the patient and is detected only during examination by a cardiologist. This fact indicates the need for preventive visits to a cardiologist at least once a year. In this case, it is necessary to study the results of the ECG. If the cardiologist, when examining the patient, will be able to analyze the results of an electrocardiogram taken immediately upon the occurrence symptoms of cardiovascular disease, then the probability of setting the correct diagnosis, and, consequently, of carrying out correct treatment will increase significantly.

Rostislav Zhadeiko specially for the project.