A consultant cardiologist highlights the ten key heart-related symptoms often overlooked by the public, stressing the importance of recognising early warning signs to prevent serious cardiac problems.
A leading cardiologist has identified the top 10 heart-related symptoms that individuals should not ignore, highlighting the importance of recognising early warning signs of potential cardiac issues. Dr Ameet Bakhai, a consultant cardiologist at Spire Bushey Hospital, shared these insights amid new research revealing widespread public unawareness regarding heart health symptoms.
According to Dr Bakhai, symptoms such as sweating with light exercise, experiencing nausea alongside chest pain, and feeling unusually tired upon waking can all signal underlying heart conditions. Other important indicators include heaviness in the arm during exertion, shortness of breath when climbing stairs, and frequent extra or missed heartbeats. Additional signs that suggest heart problems include difficulty bending down or standing up, dizziness on standing quickly, and swollen legs, which may reflect the heart’s reduced ability to adapt to positional changes or the retention of excess fluid.
Research conducted with 2,000 adults found that 54 per cent of participants did not associate many of these symptoms with poor heart health, despite half having experienced at least one of them. Dr Bakhai emphasised that a healthy adult should be capable of running up two flights of stairs without becoming breathless and able to hold their breath comfortably for 20 seconds, provided there are no other health conditions.
Dr Bakhai, who also advises Healthspan’s Love Your Heart supplement range and focuses on how lifestyle affects cardiac health, explained to Get Surrey: “We often ignore our heart health and it’s signals until it’s too late. There’s no annual MOT to be passed for most of us, so we ignore the small signals that our own engine is not performing ideally.” He added, “Heart issues can often get progressively worse, until one day you have a more complicated issue— that could have been avoided if you’d heeded the warning signs.”
The study further revealed that one in five adults have experienced dizziness after standing up quickly, while 11 per cent reported chest tightness. However, a third of respondents believed such symptoms could stem from multiple causes, and 26 per cent did not view them as serious. Alarmingly, 17 per cent avoided discussing their symptoms to prevent being seen as overreacting, and 13 per cent believed they were too young to have heart problems.
Dr Bakhai also noted the misconception that heart disease affects only older adults, stating: “This is sadly a misunderstanding as heart disease can affect people of all ages, particularly in the era of Covid and beyond, as the virus can attack the heart and the heart lining quite commonly as a condition called myopericarditis (inflamed heart and heart covering—the pericardium).” He highlighted that symptoms such as chest tightness, aches in the arms or jaw, dizziness on standing, and breathlessness while bending down should prompt attention, describing them as “a wake-up call that your heart is calling out for help.”
The survey further revealed that over half of respondents were unaware that if their partner had suffered a cardiac event in the last five years, their own risk factors might be elevated due to shared lifestyle habits.
Rob Hobson, registered sports and nutritionist with Healthspan, commented on the findings: “These results show a bit of a contradiction between what people do, and what they’re doing for their heart health. Millions know heart health is vitally important yet ignore warning signs and do heart-unfriendly things like eating junk food, smoking … people are trying to make changes but there is a clear lack of knowledge.” He suggested that dietary changes and the use of heart-supportive supplements could help improve heart health over time, noting, “Over half of those asked are conscious they need to keep their heart healthy but knew little about what supplements to take to help them.”
The cardiologist’s list of the top 10 heart health symptoms that have often been experienced but not always investigated by the British public are:
- Dizziness on standing up quickly
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty bending down
- Palpitations
- Tightness of the chest
- Arm pain (neck or upper arms, often the left)
- Difficulty standing up
- Chest discomfort (excluding tightness)
- Swollen legs
- Frequent extra or skipped heartbeats
These findings underline the diversity of symptoms that can indicate cardiac issues and the importance of recognising these signs regardless of age or perceived fitness level.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative cites recent concerns about heart health following the COVID-19 pandemic, but no specific release date of the study is mentioned. It seems to discuss ongoing health concerns rather than old news.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Direct quotes from Dr Bakhai and other experts appear original to this piece, with no earlier known references online. This suggests they are likely primary sources.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from Get Surrey, a local news outlet that, while lesser-known globally, provides specific insights and quotes from reputable medical professionals such as Dr. Bakhai.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The list of heart symptoms is plausible and aligns with typical indicators of cardiac issues. Claims about public unawareness and the need for early recognition are consistent with broader health discussions.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears credible, featuring original quotes and insights from medical experts about heart health symptoms. It addresses contemporary concerns and aligns with plausible medical knowledge.
