Heart failure is when the heart doesn’t pump the adequate amount of blood it should. It is often associated with older adults. But anyone can be diagnosed with heart failure. Surprisingly, heart failure is affecting younger individuals in their 20s and 30s. One of the major risk factors here is a lifestyle, such as smoking, and an unhealthy diet. Excessive stress, obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity can make one more likely to develop cardiovascular concerns. You can talk to the best cardiologist in Siliguri.
Let’s understand the symptoms and causes of heart failure in young people.
Symptoms of heart failure in young people may differ
- Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath), especially during physical activity or when lying flat
- Fatigue (feeling tired and weak even with minimal physical activities)
- Heart palpitations/a racing heartbeat/ irregular heartbeat
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, or belly may be caused by fluid retention
- A cough that won't go away or improve with time, wheezing, especially when lying down
Other Signs and Symptoms
- General weakness
- Abdominal pain
- Bluish fingers and lips
- Nausea
- Sleepiness
- Frequent urination
- Loss of appetite
- Weight gain
- Trouble concentrating
- Pain in the chest
- Dizziness
- Fainting
Make sure you don’t delay because early diagnosis can give you the most promising treatment outcomes. Factors that may contribute to heart failure in young people include:
- Obesity
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and other substances
There’s research in 2014 stated that coronary artery disease and high blood pressure are more likely to cause heart failure in older adults. If young people have uncontrolled high blood pressure, it can increase the likelihood of heart failure as well. Consult the best cardiologist in Siliguri North Bengal for all-inclusive health support.
Further reasons can be:
- congenital heart defects
- sleep apnoea
- abnormal heart valves
- severe lung disease
- low red blood cell count
- heart muscle disease
- abnormal heart rhythm
- previous heart attacks
- overactive thyroid
- Pregnancy
- HIV infection
- Blood clots in the lungs
- Older age
A virus, like the COVID-19 virus, causes myocarditis, often causes left-sided heart failure. This is an inflammation of the heart muscle, responsible for multiple discomforts. These are dizziness, heart rhythm problems, fatigue, shortness of breath, fast breathing, swelling, chest discomfort, etc.
Generally, complications of heart failure depend on your age, how severe the condition is, and your overall health. If it remains untreated, heart failure can lead to many health problems.
These include changes in the heart function and size, liver damage, kidney damage, sudden cardiac arrest, etc. Take preventive steps, such as healthy eating (whole grains, fruits vegetables, nuts), moderate exercise, stress management, no smoking, no alcohol, and weight management. Talk to your heart specialist in Siliguri for comprehensive heart health care.