Aunt Liu is 50 years old this year, and she is usually busy with her work, always leaving early and returning late, like a tireless merry-go-round.
That night, she had just turned off the computer when she suddenly felt her fingers tingle, like countless small bugs crawling on it. She thought that maybe she used too many hands to write materials today, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
However, when Aunt Liu returned home from the unit, the numbness still did not disappear. She began to mumble in her heart, but then she thought that tomorrow was the weekend, and she could check it out. So, early the next morning, she hurried to the hospital.
As soon as the results of the examination came out, the report reads "cardiovascular abnormality".
The doctor told her very seriously that it had a lot to do with her daily habits and work pressure. He specially told Aunt Liu that she must start adjusting her lifestyle.
Aunt Liu listened to the doctor's words, but her heart was mixed. She thought to herself, after so many years of life, how could she just change it? She nodded her head to deal with the doctor, but her mind couldn't help but recall all kinds of trivial things at work.
After a few days, Aunt Liu suddenly felt chills all over her body, especially when she went to bed at night, no matter how much quilt she covered, she felt cold. Before she could realize the seriousness of the problem, she had already walked quietly in bed.
With the acceleration of the pace of life, cardiovascular diseases have become a major threat to people's health.
Heart failure is a serious consequence of cardiovascular disease, with an increasing incidence year by year and often overlooked due to atypical symptoms. Therefore, older people should pay special attention to these three abnormal symptoms before bedtime.
01
A recent Sino-foreign joint study showed that nearly 300 million Chinese are in the early stages of heart failure, a staggering number.
Heart failure, or heart failure, is a clinical syndrome of decreased heart's ability to pump blood, often caused by years of cardiovascular disease.
Studies have shown that the incidence of heart failure is proportional to age, and the problem is particularly acute as the population ages.
Among patients with pre-heart failure, the proportion of women and rural residents is higher, which may be related to factors such as lifestyle and unequal access to medical resources.
The risk of heart failure is associated with a variety of factors, including poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and chronic conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure.
These factors exacerbate the burden on the heart, reduce its pumping efficiency, and may eventually lead to the occurrence of heart failure.
To prevent and control heart failure, we must start by improving our daily habits and having regular cardiac function tests to detect problems and intervene as soon as possible.
02
Dyspnea: This is one of the most common symptoms of heart failure. Patients may experience shortness of breath after doing light physical activity or even suddenly feel difficulty breathing during sleep at night and need to sit up to breathe easily.
Body edema: In patients with heart failure, the heart's pumping function is weakened, resulting in fluid in the body not circulating effectively, and eventually accumulating in the lower half of the body, especially the ankles and legs, causing significant edema.
Persistent cough or wheezing: This cough is different from the cough caused by the common cold and is often accompanied by white or pink frothy sputum due to fluid buildup in the lungs.
Difficulty falling asleep and awakenings at night: Due to mild hypoxia due to heart failure, patients may wake up frequently during the night with a feeling of shortness of breath or tightness in the chest.
Fatigue and weakness: People with heart failure experience fatigue and weakness in their muscles and other tissues due to a lack of blood supply, especially during daily activities.
03
Frequent awakenings: If you wake up frequently during your night's sleep and feel like you're apnea or your heart is pressing, this can be a typical symptom of heart failure. People with heart failure have an increased burden on their hearts when lying down, which may cause frequent awakenings during the night.
Drooling while sleeping: While many people may not immediately associate drooling with cardiovascular health, in some cases, especially those with high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes, it can be an indication of poor blood flow to the brain or the risk of a mini-stroke.
Panic night sweats: Nighttime sweats can be a symptom of many health problems, but in people with cardiovascular disease, especially those who eat unhealthy diets and are overweight, panic night sweats can be a precursor to a heart attack.
04
Regular check-ups: Regular comprehensive health check-ups, including heart function tests, can detect potential cardiovascular problems early. Especially for middle-aged and older adults, this regular check-up can help monitor cardiovascular health status and adjust treatment regimens in a timely manner.
Healthy lifestyle: A balanced diet, moderate physical activity, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are the cornerstones of maintaining cardiovascular health.
In particular, reducing the intake of high-fat, high-salt foods and increasing the proportion of vegetables and whole grains can be very helpful in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Mental health: Managing stress and anxiety well is also an important part of maintaining cardiovascular health. Learning how to cope with daily stress, taking yoga or meditation classes, can all help reduce the mental burden.
05
Preventing cardiovascular disease is not complicated, the key is continuous self-monitoring and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.
For middle-aged and elderly people, understanding and responding to abnormal signals from the body in a timely manner and doing regular health check-ups are important strategies to maintain health.
Let's work together to create a healthier future for ourselves and our families.
In addition, don't ignore any minor physical discomfort, seek medical attention in time, and maintain health scientifically, which is a health concept that each of us should actively practice.