10 Sneaky Signs You May Have Heart Disease

You're likely to be familiar with the signs of a heartattack, such as chest pain and shortness of breath. What about heart disease? Heart disease doesn't always strike suddenly. Some indicators

are less obvious. Here are 10 signs you might have heart disease.

1. When You Lie Flat, It Is Difficult To Breathe.

Fluid buildup in your lungs can lead to breathing difficulties when you lie down on your back. Jim Liu M.D., a cardiologist at Ohio State University

Wexner Hospital Medical Center, says that lying flat causes your blood volume to be redistributed. Orthopnea is a condition where the heart

has problems pumping extra blood volume. This

can cause shortness of breath and increased fluid buildup in the lungs.

Snoring is also a warning sign. Snoring can also be a red flag.

2. Walking Causes You To Feel Pain In Your Legs Or Hips.

Low-body pain may be caused by injuries, arthritis, or poor posture. However, it could also indicate circulation problems in the legs due to

artery disease. Deepak Labatt, M.D. executive director of interventional cardiology programs at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston,

Massachusetts, says that blockages in the legs arteries can lead to pain while walking, much like blockages in your heart arteries can lead

to heart attacks. Large leg arteries can block smaller arteries in your heart.

Circulation-related pain is often caused by exercise. It ends when you stop because the obstruction reduces the oxygen supply to the muscles.

Levin says that the pain disappears when you stop walking.

3. You Experience Erectile Dysfunction ...

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by diabetes or chronic stress. However, it could also be a sign of a more serious condition, according to Michael

M.D. Blaha is the director of clinical research at the Cicerone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at Johns Hopkins Medicine,

Maryland. ED is often a problem with blood flow. Risk factors, such as smoking and hypertension, are common for vascular ED (hardening the arteries)

atherosclerotic cardiac disease (vascular erectile dysfunction). Endothelial dysfunction is the root cause of both problems. This occurs when blood vessels

have trouble expanding and contracting properly. This reduces blood flow to the penis and the heart.

4. ... or vaginal dryness

Men aren't the only ones with blood-flow problems. One study found that 84 percent of males and 87 percent of women with

had some level of sexual dysfunction. Women may experience vaginal dryness, clitoral sensation loss, and decreased libido. Endothelial dysfunction can

cause a decrease in blood vessel elasticity, which affects blood flow to the sexual organs.

Endothelial dysfunction is the first step in developing cardiovascular disease. This can lead to blood vessel problems, blood flow abnormalities, plaque

formation and artery calcification, blockage and eventually a heart attack.

5. Your Ankles Are Swelling

Fluid can cause swelling in both legs if the heart doesn't pump blood efficiently. A study that included adults without a history of heart disease found fluid

in the lower extremities to be associated with future hospitalizations due to heart failure. When fluid is not returned to the heart from the veins, swelling can

Swelling can occur in both legs in cases of heart failure. A blood clot, infection or swelling in one leg may cause swelling in the other. If leg swelling is associated

with symptoms of heart failure such as shortness or breathlessness, consult your doctor.

6. No Reason To Feel Tired

An obstructed coronary vessel is a condition that makes you tired from everyday activities, such as making bed and resting.

Jean McSweeney is a professor emerita at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences College of Nursing. She says that fatigue is the most common symptom women

experience before a heart attack. Low blood flow to the heart can cause fatigue, which may occur several months before a heart attack. Call your doctor if you feel tired

even from routine activities.

7. Wake Up And Go Pee

Drinking too many beers isn't the only reason you wake up in the morning to go to the bathroom. A weaker heart pumps less blood into the kidneys, which can lead to fluid buildup

and swelling of the ankles and legs. Gravitation drains fluid from the legs back into the heart at night. The kidneys have more fluid than they can filter, which increases the need for

With age, nighttime urination can increase in both men with an enlarged prostate and in women with incontinence problems. Bhatt says that more than one night of urination is normal,

especially when paired with swelling in the ankles.

8. Bad Breath

Bad breath can be caused by out-of-court-of-control control bacteria. It can cause more problems than just your social life. Bacteria can get into your bloodstream via bleeding gums or

diseased gums. This is connected to inflammation, blocked arteries, stroke, and clogged veins. David Genet, a Florida periodontist, says that there is a correlation between those with

periodontal disease (and people with cardiovascular disease).

9. Fatty Growths Are Easy To Spot

These lesions are known as xanthomas and feel similar to calcium deposits in the tendon. They can also indicate high cholesterol. Tendon xanthomas are most common near the elbows

and ankles in people who have a history of high cholesterol. One study showed that people with familial hypercholesterolemia, a predisposition to high cholesterol, had a three-fold higher risk

of developing cardiovascular disease.

10. You're Feeling Nauseous

According to Nicholas Ruthmann M.D., a Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, unexplained queasy could indicate heart failure. Fluid and pressure buildup in the lungs, abdomen, and lower

when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently. Water retention and bloating can lead to nausea, increased appetite and rapid weight loss.

Also, there is a connection between queasiness (and heart attacks) and nausea. Women are more likely than men to describe nausea as a symptom of heart attacks. People with heart

heart attack should be aware of persistent nausea, which can include weight gain, bloating, swelling of the legs or ankles and shortness or breath. These symptoms may be combined

with severe chest, jaw, or shoulder pain. Call 911.