10 Signs You Might Have Heart Disease

7. Dizziness

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If you suddenly feel dizzy or lightheaded, it could be because you didn’t eat breakfast. (That is, don’t panic and think you’re automatically having a heart attack.) But if the dizziness is combined with shortness of breath (#3) or chest discomfort (#1), it’s time to pick up the phone. Blood flow to the brain can be reduced when the heart rate or rhythm is too slow or too fast, like in cases of a heart attack. Less blood to the brain means less oxygen to the brain and that is a recipe for dizziness, or #12.

8. Palpitations

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If your heart flutters, pounds or races, you’re experiencing atrial fibrillation. When the atria beat rapidly and irregularly, blood is more likely to clot because it’s not flowing through the atria as quickly as it should. People with atrial fibrillation are five to seven times more likely than the general population to suffer a stroke. Atrial fibrillation combined with a prolonged fast heart rate (days to months) can result in heart failure because the heart’s pumping ability is decreased. If you also experience any of the other symptoms you’ve read here, call your doctor right away.

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