The heart is like an engine. Throughout a person’s life, it beats continuously, supplying enough blood for the body’s normal physiological activities. However, due to various factors, the heart health of modern people often faces problems. Conditions like coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and myocardial weakness are becoming more common.
Clinical investigations show that many patients with serious heart diseases delay seeking treatment. If they had received medical examinations and made appropriate daily adjustments in the early stages of the disease, they might have avoided a series of severe health issues. In daily life, if your body shows any of the following four symptoms, it could indicate a decline in heart function and should be taken seriously. If you don’t have any of them, it’s a good sign that your heart is in good condition.
1. Shortness of Breath and Difficulty Inhaling
All the body’s tissues and organs rely on oxygen with oxidizing properties to support their physiological activities. Oxygen is transported in the body mainly through hemoglobin, and the transportation of hemoglobin depends on the blood and the heart. When the heart beats weakly and its blood – supplying ability decreases, the body’s cells cannot get enough oxygen. In this case, the brain sends a signal to increase the breathing rate, trying to restore oxygen supply. So, if you often feel out of breath during simple activities, apart from possible lung problems, it could also be related to myocardial damage.
2. Frequent Abnormal Heart Rates
At rest, the heart rate of a healthy person is approximately 65 beats per minute, and it’s even lower during sleep. For those with a healthy heart, the heart rate usually doesn’t fluctuate significantly in a calm state. Therefore, both an abnormal increase and decrease in heart rate should be a cause for concern. A rapid heart rate may be related to a heart attack, while a slow heart rate could be due to myocardial ischemia. You can buy a fitness tracker or a heart rate monitor to conduct self – checks and regularly record your heart rate changes, which is very helpful for screening disease risks.
3. Constant Fatigue
The fatigue caused by a decline in heart function is rather special. It’s different from the tiredness after lack of sleep or excessive exercise. It often presents as general weakness and breathing difficulties. When the intensity of the heartbeat weakens, the body’s aerobic respiration cannot get enough oxygen, so the proportion of anaerobic respiration in muscle tissues increases. Anaerobic respiration produces substances like lactic acid, which cause the body to feel sore and continuously fatigued. If this condition lasts for more than a few days, it may trigger various acute heart diseases. So, don’t ignore this symptom.
4. Brief Chest Pain
Many middle – aged and elderly people often experience a brief and distinct pain near the left chest during daily activities. In fact, this is one of the signs of heart strain. The pain caused by a decline in myocardial function usually presents as constrictive pain or squeezing – like stabbing pain. Depending on the severity of the condition, it may also spread to the shoulders, neck, and arms. When the pain lasts a long time and affects a wide area, it indicates a more severe heart damage. You should take a break, make appropriate adjustments, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.