Many people who are diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia found out only after suffering a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or angina. In many cases, if these same individuals had recognized the early signs of heart disease, they may have averted the attack or angina by beginning early treatment. Because most people associate it with old age, they often miss the earliest indications of trouble if they occur when they are younger.
Early Signs Of Heart Disease Can Be Confusing
Most people believe that they will recognize the early signs of cardiac illness because they think that the indicators will be unmistakable, but this isn't the case. Nearly all of the indicators can be easily mistaken for the symptoms of other illnesses that seem more likely, or appear to be minor inconveniences at first. A brief list of these is below:
• Angina is one of the most common early signs of heart disease and is characterized by chest pain that feels like a weight on the chest, severe discomfort, heaviness or a squeezing sensation. It is often mistaken for indigestion. The pain of angina may also be felt in the shoulder region (particularly the left shoulder), the jawline or the upper or middle back.
• Atherosclerosis,what used to be called "hardening of the arteries," is often first diagnosed after an individual notices that their hands and feet are suffering from poor circulation. They may notice that their extremities feel cold even when temperatures are normal or turn blue with cold when outside in the winter
• Other early signs include palpitations (the feeling that your heart is beating rapidly or that it is beating too strongly), nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath (particularly after exercise or exertion), and sweating regardless of the room temperature. Unfortunately, many people dismiss these symptoms if they are under the age of 50 or if they don't have any other symptoms.
• First degree relatives with early onset cardiovascular problems or illness can also indicate that you may have the same problem. If anyone in your immediate family is being treated for cardiovascular disease or a cardiovascular problem, you should consider being tested yourself, as familial hypercholesterolemia is hereditary.
Early Testing Can Reveal Silent Symptoms
High cholesterol is essentially both a sign and a symptom of cardiovascular health problems. Left untreated, it can lead to more serious conditions, but individuals often have no indication that they have high cholesterol until they experience painful symptoms. As a result, many younger individuals who have familial hypercholesterolemia go undiagnosed for years. For this reason, many health care organizations now recommend that if a male under the age of 55 or a female younger than 65 shows symptoms of cardiovascular illness, all immediate family members should undergo cascade testing to determine if they have FH or cardiovascular disease.
If you or anyone in your family has any of the symptoms listed above it is imperative that you be seen by a doctor in order to determine whether they are actually early signs of heart disease so that you and your family members can be treated appropriately.
Early Signs Of Heart Disease Can Be Confusing
Most people believe that they will recognize the early signs of cardiac illness because they think that the indicators will be unmistakable, but this isn't the case. Nearly all of the indicators can be easily mistaken for the symptoms of other illnesses that seem more likely, or appear to be minor inconveniences at first. A brief list of these is below:
• Angina is one of the most common early signs of heart disease and is characterized by chest pain that feels like a weight on the chest, severe discomfort, heaviness or a squeezing sensation. It is often mistaken for indigestion. The pain of angina may also be felt in the shoulder region (particularly the left shoulder), the jawline or the upper or middle back.
• Atherosclerosis,what used to be called "hardening of the arteries," is often first diagnosed after an individual notices that their hands and feet are suffering from poor circulation. They may notice that their extremities feel cold even when temperatures are normal or turn blue with cold when outside in the winter
• Other early signs include palpitations (the feeling that your heart is beating rapidly or that it is beating too strongly), nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath (particularly after exercise or exertion), and sweating regardless of the room temperature. Unfortunately, many people dismiss these symptoms if they are under the age of 50 or if they don't have any other symptoms.
• First degree relatives with early onset cardiovascular problems or illness can also indicate that you may have the same problem. If anyone in your immediate family is being treated for cardiovascular disease or a cardiovascular problem, you should consider being tested yourself, as familial hypercholesterolemia is hereditary.
Early Testing Can Reveal Silent Symptoms
High cholesterol is essentially both a sign and a symptom of cardiovascular health problems. Left untreated, it can lead to more serious conditions, but individuals often have no indication that they have high cholesterol until they experience painful symptoms. As a result, many younger individuals who have familial hypercholesterolemia go undiagnosed for years. For this reason, many health care organizations now recommend that if a male under the age of 55 or a female younger than 65 shows symptoms of cardiovascular illness, all immediate family members should undergo cascade testing to determine if they have FH or cardiovascular disease.
If you or anyone in your family has any of the symptoms listed above it is imperative that you be seen by a doctor in order to determine whether they are actually early signs of heart disease so that you and your family members can be treated appropriately.
The goals of The FH Foundation include educating families about the early signs of heart disease so that earlier treatment for familial hypercholesterolemia is possible. For information on FH specialists in your areas, visit The FH Foundation website.