Heart disease is caused by the blood supply being blocked or slowed by a build-up of fatty tissues in the arteries.
It is one of the UK's biggest killers in terms of groups of diseases, with someone dying from a form of heart disease every few minutes.
The British Heart Foundation says: “Heart and circulatory diseases cause a quarter of all deaths in the UK, that’s more than 160,000 deaths each year – an average of 460 deaths each day, or one every three minutes in the UK.”
With these worrying statistics, doing all you can to help lower your risk of the potentially life-threatening condition should be on your agenda - including spotting any unusual warning symptoms.
Oedema
When there is water retention in the feet and legs, this is known medically as peripheral oedema.
When a person has this condition, “sock marks” may be evident.
It's when you take off your socks and can see distinctive lines running across the ankles from where the socks were.
Mild peripheral oedema is common but it could also indicate serious heart issues.
Health experts warn that oedema may be a sign of heart failure because when the heart is not pumping as well as it should, fluid from inside the blood vessels tends to leak out into the surrounding tissues.
The legs and ankles are common areas for oedema because of the effects of gravity.
It's important to note that most people who have peripheral oedema don’t have heart disease, but it could be a key indicator of potential heart problems and other signs of heart failure.
Oedema can be caused by a wide range of conditions, some of which are temporary and perfectly harmless, such as swollen ankles during a pregnancy or puffiness in your hands and feet during a flight because of water retention.
“Persistent problems with oedema, however, could be a signal that your heart isn’t functioning properly,” said Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists.
It added: “A more serious cause of peripheral oedema is congestive heart failure, a condition in which your heart is too weak to pump blood efficiently.”
Symptoms of heart failure
Other signs of heart failure include:
- A persistent cough, which may be worse at night
- Wheezing
- A bloated tummy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Confusion
- A fast heart rate
- A pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
How to lower your risk of heart failure
Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight are key factors to preventing heart failure.
Other healthy behaviours include not smoking, eating fruits and vegetables, and moderating your alcohol intake.
If concerned about any unusual swelling or slight issues with your heart, speak to your GP about the best plan of action.
