Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels, leading to various complications if left untreated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does heart attack chest pain feel like?
Pressure, tightness, or a squeezing feeling in the centre of the chest — often described as an elephant sitting on the chest. It can spread to the left arm, jaw, or back. Unlike gas or muscle pain, it usually doesn't ease with movement or antacids. Call an ambulance if it lasts more than 10 minutes.
Can heart disease symptoms look different in women?
Yes. Women often present with fatigue, nausea, jaw or upper-back pain, and shortness of breath — without the classic chest pain. Indian women in particular under-report cardiac symptoms, and heart attacks are frequently missed as 'gastric' or 'acidity'. Any new unexplained fatigue or breathlessness deserves an ECG.
Is leg swelling always a sign of heart failure?
Not always — kidney disease, venous problems, and long sitting can also cause it. But bilateral swelling (both legs) that gets worse through the day and improves overnight, especially with breathlessness on lying flat, points to heart failure. See a doctor within a week; it needs an echocardiogram.
When should palpitations worry me?
Occasional flutters after coffee, stress, or exertion are usually harmless. See a doctor if palpitations last more than a few minutes, come with chest pain, dizziness, or breathlessness, or happen at rest. A resting ECG plus a 24-hour Holter monitor can catch arrhythmias like AFib that raise stroke risk.
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