## 1. Chest discomfort A characteristic sign of heart disease is a pressing, suffocating pain behind the sternum, which can occur both at rest and during physical activity. It usually lasts longer than a few minutes. It is a sign that the heart is not getting enough blood, possibly due to a blocked artery. > If the pain spreads to the left hand with numbness of the pinky and ring finger, under the left scapula, or into the neck and lower jaw, these are classic symptoms of a heart attack. Nausea, upset stomach, heartburn or abdominal pain may often be experienced, especially in women. ## 2. Dizziness or weakness Dizziness may occur for many reasons. If you also experience ===chest discomfort or shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately. Chances are you either have low blood pressure or very high blood pressure. ## 3. Unexplained fatigue If you become quickly tired or short of breath even after a small physical activity (such as climbing stairs), make an appointment with your cardiologist immediately. Extreme exhaustion or unexplained weakness, sometimes for days on end, may be a symptom of heart disease. ## 4. Snoring Loud snoring that sounds like wheezing or choking can be a sign of sleep apnea. This is a condition in which breathing stops for short moments during sleep several times a night, putting extra strain on the heart. ## 5. Persistent cough In most cases, coughing is not a sign of heart problems, but if you are at risk, pay special attention to this symptom. The cough may be prolonged with a discharge of white or pink mucus, indicating heart failure. This occurs when the heart can't keep up with the body's needs, causing blood to leak back into the lungs. Coughing can also occur quite often with heart rhythm abnormalities. ## 6. Swelling of the legs Swelling of the legs is often caused by chronic venous or arterial insufficiency. Feet also swell when the heart cannot pump blood fast enough and the blood accumulates in the veins, causing them to swell. In addition, heart failure can make it difficult for the kidneys to remove excess water and sodium from the body, which also leads to swelling. ## 7. Irregular heartbeat Your heart can beat harder when you're nervous or agitated. But if the palpitations last longer than a few seconds, or if they occur frequently, see a cardiologist. This can sometimes be a manifestation of a heart rhythm disorder. ## Everything under control Even if there are no alarming symptoms, you should have a checkup once a year, especially after the age of 40. If you have had cardiovascular abnormalities before, or if you are in a risk group (people aged 60 or older, overweight or diabetic, with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a corresponding family history), then the checkup should be once every six months. This will detect cardiovascular disease at an early stage and avoid unfortunate consequences. __A basic checkup includes:__ - ECG (cardiography) - Ultrasound of the heart - Laboratory tests: OAC, lipid profile (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides) If the results of a basic checkup raise doubts, the doctor may prescribe additional diagnostics: - Holter ECG monitoring - Daily blood pressure monitoring - Duplex or triplex scanning (more often for vascular problems) - CT (computed tomography) scan of the heart - Cardiac MRI or scintigraphy - X-ray of the lungs or fluorography - Ultrasound of the kidneys and adrenal glands