COMMON SYMPTOMS

Listen to your heart

CHEST PAIN

If you get chest pains when you exercise, walk uphill or stress you may have underlying coronary artery disease. This is the progressive narrowing of the feeding vessels of the heart. If you do get such pains do not ignore them and seek medical attention. These could be prodromes of a heart attack.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

Shortness of breath can be attributed to several factors. Diseases of the lungs (such as asthma, COPD), the blood (anaemia), the heart (narrow or leaky valves, narrow coronary arteries) or physical de-conditioning (lack of exercise and raised body weight) can all be contributory factors.

PALPITATIONS AND BLACKOUTS

When the electrics of the heart are problematic the heart can beat very slowly or indeed have an erratic fast rhythm. Patients with very slow rhythms or pauses can experience blackouts (also known as syncope) whereas those with fast rhythms may feel palpitations or "fluttering" in the chest.