Healthy Living Tips from
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | October 2017
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS: When to See a Physician
It’ s not always obvious when you have a serious condition, such as heart disease – just as high blood pressure usually has no symptoms-- and many people don ' t know they have it. Many other symptoms of heart disease can be similar to those of other conditions-- or you may chalk them up to a busy lifestyle or a stressful job.
Did you know … if you have high untreated blood pressure, your heart has to work harder than normal to meet your body ' s demands? Over time, this puts you at increased risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and even kidney disease.
With health risks in mind, here are 5 things that should send you to your doctor or cardiologist:
1. You’ re tired. Many of us are tired thanks to overloaded lives, but if you feel sluggish even when you’ ve had enough rest, your heart may be to blame. If you wake up tired and your partner says you snore, you may have sleep apnea, which left untreated increases your chance of high blood pressure, heart damage, abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure and stroke.
2. You’ re short of breath. If activities you used to do without a problem cause you to be short of breath, don’ t ignore it. Don’ t just assume you’ re out of shape or are tired-- being short of breath can be a symptom of heart failure. Sudden-onset breathlessness can also be related to a heart attack, so if you can’ t catch your breath and have accompanying chest pain, call 911!
3. You’ re dizzy. It’ s not uncommon to have a quick bout of dizziness when you stand up from a seated position too quickly or don’ t eat enough. But feeling dizzy can be related to your blood pressure or an abnormal heart rhythm. It can also be a symptom of a heart attack.
4. Your legs are swollen. If your heart isn’ t pumping effectively, it can lead to poor circulation in your extremities, especially your legs. Swollen feet or ankles can be a symptom of heart failure, and pain in your lower leg can indicate a dangerous blood clot.
5. You have pain in your upper body. Not all heart attacks are accompanied by sudden and severe chest pain; instead, you may notice discomfort in your arm, jaw or back, especially if you’ re a woman. So if you have pain you can’ t attribute to another cause-- or also have symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness or sweating-- get medical help!
For an appointment with a Deborah specialist or more information about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’ s leading-edge technologies can improve your quality of life: 800.555.1990 or request info / an appointment: www. demanddeborah. org
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