Health
Cardiologist Breaks Down 3 Unexpected Red Flags Of A Weak Heart
According to a cardiac surgeon, there are three warning signs that indicate a weak heart.
A trained cardiothoracic surgeon with more than 25 years of clinical expertise, Dr. Jeremy London frequently posts advice on social media, explaining how a straightforward test may indicate that you have a heart blockage.
The well-known surgeon then gave his advice on three things you should not overlook if you want to keep your ticker humming in a YouTube video.
The red flags that you could have a weak heart
In a YouTube video, Dr. London noted swelling legs, trouble breathing while lying down, and shortness of breath when walking.
He said, “It should start with a history of physical examination. Shortness of breath when walking, the inability to lay flat and breath comfortably and swollen legs. All the signs of many different heart conditions should be red flags.”
How is your heart measured?
With just an echocardiogram or an ultrasound probe applied to the chest, doctors can learn a great deal about heart strength.
Dr London added, “This typically can measure ejection fraction, which is the percentage of blood that’s ejected from the heart with each beat. Normal is 65 to 70 percent.”
“If it’s markedly decreased from that, that could be an indication of heart failure or a weak heart.”
Why is heart function important for surgery?
Strong hearts are essential for surgery since they help you cope with the stress of the procedure and probably speed up your recuperation afterward.
Dr London said, “In my world of cardiac surgery, heart function is the single most important determinant of how patients do with surgery.”
“Patients with strong hearts do much better than patients with weak hearts.”
How can you improve your heart health?
It should come as no surprise that maintaining your physical well-being—which includes taking care of your teeth and digestive system, avoiding stress, and getting adequate sleep—is essential to enhancing your heart health.
Even though Talking Heads famously sang, “Born with a weak heart, I guess I must be having fun,” you can still enjoy yourself while taking care of your heart since exercise can help you feel less stressed and strengthen your heart, so you can do both at once.
However, if you experience any of the’red flags’ indicated above, it could be worthwhile to have your heart examined.
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