The heart is complex organ, susceptible to a wide variety of conditions and problems. These can be issues that are present from birth, known as congenital, or can develop later on in life, where lifestyle in particular plays a key role.
Lifestyle factors that can influence the development of heart conditions include;
- Smoking
- Alcohol intake
- Lack of exercise
- Obesity
- Poor diet
These lifestyle choices place additional stress on the heart, and increase a person's risk for developing high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure. These problems can, in turn, result in the development of serious heart conditions.
There are a wide range of symptoms that can be indicative of a heart condition, whether they are congenital or acquired, often as a result of poor lifestyle choices. If you experience any of the following symptoms, particularly when they are not isolated incidents and when more than one individual symptom is present, you should seek medical attention;
- Breathlessness
- Chest pain
- Dizziness and loss of consciousness
- Fatigue
- Palpitations
Each of these symptoms can be indicative of a wide variety of heart conditions, such as;
- Angina - chest pains, usually caused by a blockage in the arteries
- Heart attack - the formation of a blood clot which causes part of the muscle in the heart to die
- Valve disease - where heart valves are performing incorrectly and placing additional strain on the heart
- Arrhythmia - a group of conditions where the heartbeat is irregular, too slow or too fast
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - often caused by lifestyle choices and can increase your risk of developing serious heart conditions
- Heart failure - this is a condition where the heart simply cannot pump efficiently to cope with the bodies needs
- Atrial fibrillation - this is a type of arrhythmia that can lead to the formation of blood clots and further heart complications
- Cardiomyopathy - where the heart muscle becomes thicker, or rigid, and is sometimes inherited through genes
- Hypercholesterolaemia - a condition where there are elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood
- PFO/ASD - are two separate conditions with different congenital causes, but in both conditions there is a hole in the heart muscle between two of the chambers
Heart check-ups are imperative to protecting your health by catching any developing heart problems early on before symptoms develop, and most importantly, whilst changes to a person's lifestyle can still make a significant impact.
They can also identify any pre-existing heart disease that may already be present.
Here at Manchester Cardiology Services, we can help identify any potential predispositions you may have to developing heart problems, and give you peace of mind when it comes to your health.