Leading Cardiologist Issues Vital Warning About Heart Disease Symptoms
Consultant cardiologist Dr Ameet Bakhai has issued an urgent warning about ten critical symptoms of heart disease that people should never ignore, with new research revealing that more than half of adults fail to recognise these vital warning signs.
The Critical Symptoms That Demand Medical Attention
Dr Bakhai, a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, has identified specific symptoms that could indicate underlying heart problems requiring immediate investigation. These include experiencing dizziness when standing up quickly, unexplained shortness of breath when climbing stairs, and difficulty with bending down or standing up from seated positions.
Other significant indicators include palpitations or frequent extra or skipped heartbeats, tightness or discomfort in the chest area, and pain radiating to the arms, neck or upper body. Swollen legs, particularly when accompanied by other symptoms, can signal that the heart is struggling to pump efficiently and retaining excess fluid.
Research Reveals Widespread Lack of Awareness
A comprehensive survey of 2,000 British adults commissioned by Healthspan's Love Your Heart supplement range has uncovered concerning gaps in public understanding about heart health. The research found that 54% of respondents would not associate most of these symptoms with potential heart problems, despite half of all participants having experienced at least one of these warning signs themselves.
"We often ignore our heart health and its signals until it's too late," Dr Bakhai emphasised. "There's no annual MOT for most of us, so we ignore the small signals that our own engine is not performing ideally. Heart issues can often get progressively worse until one day you have a more complicated problem that could have been avoided if you'd heeded the warning signs."
Practical Benchmarks for Heart Health Assessment
The cardiologist provided practical benchmarks that adults with healthy hearts should generally be able to achieve, assuming no other underlying health conditions. These include being able to run up two flights of stairs without becoming breathless, comfortably holding one's breath for 20 seconds, and performing basic movements like squatting without significant difficulty.
Dr Bakhai explained that many people mistakenly attribute such limitations to fitness levels, weight gain or lung conditions, when they might actually indicate coronary artery disease, heart valve problems or irregular heart rhythms. "There is a lot of overlap with coronary artery disease or heart valve problems or irregular heart rhythms," he noted.
Post-Pandemic Heart Health Concerns
The cardiologist highlighted particular concerns in the post-Covid era, noting that the virus can attack the heart and its lining, leading to conditions like myopericarditis (inflammation of both the heart muscle and its protective covering). This makes vigilance about heart symptoms even more crucial across all age groups.
Dr Bakhai also revealed another important finding from the research: more than half of survey participants were unaware that if their partner had suffered a cardiac episode within the last five years, their own risk factors are likely increased due to shared lifestyle habits.
The Ten Heart Symptoms Requiring Investigation
- Dizziness when standing up quickly
- Unexplained shortness of breath
- Difficulty bending down
- Palpitations or irregular heartbeat sensations
- Tightness in the chest area
- Arm pain, particularly in the neck or upper arms (often the left side)
- Difficulty standing up from seated positions
- Chest discomfort (excluding tightness)
- Swollen legs or ankles
- Frequent extra or skipped heartbeats
"Becoming heart aware is vital," Dr Bakhai concluded. "Warning signs like chest tightness, aches in your arms or jaw, dizziness on standing, and breathlessness with bending down should act like a wake-up call that your heart is calling out for help. Looking after your heart health is essential and should be planned as a new year resolution every year."
