Your heart is weaker than it should be if these symptoms exist.

Although it's common knowledge that heart disease is the top killer of both men and women in the US, did you realize that many cases are avoidable? 90% of the almost 18 million cases of heart disease in the world, according to the Cleveland Clinic, could be avoided if people adopted a healthy diet, engaged in regular exercise, and gave up smoking. Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation Section Head at Cleveland Clinic Leslie Cho, M.D. "Thanks to amazing medical advancements, we can still prevent and cure heart disease even if a person has a family history of the condition.It's critical to recognize the symptoms of heart disease, and Eat This, Not That! Dr. Tomi Mitchell, a Board-Certified Family Physician with Holistic Wellness Strategies, shared warning signs to look out for and information on heart disease with Health. Continue reading and pay close attention to these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID to protect your health and the health of others.

1 What to Know About Heart Disease

The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body, but it is frequently ignored, according to Dr. Mitchell. The heart circulates blood throughout the body, feeding cells with nutrition and oxygen and expelling waste products. Additionally, it helps to control blood pressure and keep the heartbeat regular. In other words, life cannot exist without the heart. Sadly, the heart is also susceptible to illness. One in four deaths in the US are caused by heart disease, which is the number one killer.Heart disease is significantly increased by variables like smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and excessive cholesterol. To lower the chance of getting heart disease, it is crucial to be conscious of your heart health and adopt healthy lifestyle habits. One of the best methods to maintain heart health is to eat a nutritious diet, exercise frequently, quit smoking, and manage stress. Therefore, remember to consider your heart when considering your health in the future. It is now necessary to begin caring for this important organ.

2 How to Tell How Strong Your Heart Is

According to Dr. Mitchell, a human heart is estimated to beat 2.5 billion times on average throughout their lifespan. It continuously pumps blood throughout the body day and night. But how can you determine the ideal strength of your heart? Several important signs can give you a rough notion of how healthy your heart should be, even though many other factors affect cardiovascular health. Check your pulse first. Between 60 and 100 beats per minute should be the range for a healthy resting heart rate. You can keep an eye on your blood pressure as well.

Blood pressure should be less than 120/80 mmHg. Lastly, pay attention to how much energy you have. It's possible that your heart isn't working as well as it should if you're exhausted or having trouble breathing. You can better understand how strong your heart should be by monitoring these markers.

3 Shortness Of Breath

Dyspnea, often known as shortness of breath, is a typical sign of heart failure, according to Dr. Mitchell. The amount of blood the heart can pump to supply the body with oxygen is insufficient. As a result, the lungs may become flooded with fluid, making breathing challenging. Severe heart failure can occasionally result in respiratory failure, a life-threatening illness that needs to be treated very away. While other disorders like asthma or anxiety can sometimes cause shortness of breath, it is still important to visit a doctor if you develop this symptom as it could indicate a serious underlying issue.

Gravity causes your blood to collect in your lower body while you are lying down. For this reason, when you stand up after lying down, you could feel faint or dizzy. Your breathing may experience the same thing. The air in your lungs settles to the bottom of them when you are lying down. The air has a harder time ascending to the top of your lungs as a result. You can start to feel short of breath as a result. While typically not a problem, this could indicate a more serious issue, such cardiac failure.

4 Swelling In Your Limbs

Dr. Mitchell claims that swelling in the hands and feet is a clue that something is amiss with the heart because congestive heart failure is one of its symptoms. The body's fluid backs up into the veins when the heart can't pump blood efficiently, which causes the veins to enlarge. Due to their proximity to the skin's surface, the veins in the hands and feet are particularly prone to this. Gravity also draws the fluid downward, which results in increased swelling in the lower extremities. It's crucial to consult a doctor if you detect swelling in your hands or feet so they can diagnose the problem and provide a course of therapy.Congestive heart failure can be deadly if untreated. Therefore, it's important to pay attention to hand and foot edema.

5 Dizziness

According to Dr. Mitchell, "Dizziness is a typical symptom that can be brought on by a variety of conditions, from dehydration to low blood sugar. If you feel dizziness combined with other symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, or an irregular pulse, it may be an indication of a heart issue. In some situations, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which limits blood flow to the heart, can lead to dizziness. When this occurs, the heart must work harder to pump blood, and the deficiency in oxygen can make you feel faint and lightheaded."

6 Irregular Heart Beat

As Dr. Mitchell explains, "Arrhythmia, another name for an irregular heartbeat, is a disorder in which the heart beats irregularly or excessively quickly or slowly. An erratic heartbeat can indicate that there is a problem with your heart, even if some arrhythmia is deemed normal. Heart disease, stress, smoking, drug misuse, and electrolyte imbalances are a few of the causes of arrhythmias. Arrhythmias can occasionally result in more serious issues like a stroke or heart failure."

7 Trouble Concentrating

Having difficulties concentrating is one of the most typical signs of heart disease, according to Dr. Mitchell. "The body does not receive the necessary amount of oxygen when the heart is not pumping enough blood. This may result in exhaustion, mental fog, and focus problems. You need to see a doctor if you notice that you're finding it harder than normal to focus. While difficulty concentrating can be a symptom of a variety of medical conditions, it's frequently an early indicator of heart disease. Heart disease is significantly easier to cure if discovered early. Therefore, if you are having trouble concentrating, don't ignore it—schedule a visit with your doctor right away."