8 heart conditions to be aware of

From restless.co.uk

According to the British Heart Foundation, over 8 million people are living with a heart or circulatory condition in the UK.

The term ‘heart and circulatory diseases (CVD)’ describes all conditions that affect the cardiovascular system, which is made up of the heart and blood vessels. Understanding the difference between these conditions can make all the difference in detecting issues early – especially as cardiovascular disease is responsible for more than a quarter, or around 170,000 deaths in the UK, each year.

Here, we’ll explore eight heart conditions to be aware of, including early warning signs, treatment, and how to reduce your risk.

Note: Several health checks are available to help detect health conditions, including CVD, early. For eligibility information, check out our article: 11 important health checks for over 50s.

8 heart conditions to be aware of

1. Coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death in the UK. You may hear it referred to as ischaemic heart disease (IHD), coronary artery disease (CAD), or just heart disease.

CHD happens when the heart’s blood supply is blocked or narrowed due to a build-up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries – a process known as atherosclerosis. These fatty deposits, called atheroma or plaque, are made up of cholesterol, fats, and other waste products.

If a piece of atheroma breaks off, the body may respond by forming a blood clot at the site to try to repair damage to the artery wall. If that clot becomes large enough, it can completely block the artery, cutting off blood supply to the heart and causing a heart attack.

According to the NHS, the main symptoms of CHD are chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, feeling faint, nausea, and neck, jaw, shoulder, or arm pain. However, because CHD develops slowly over time, it’s not uncommon for CHD to remain undiagnosed until someone has a heart attack. To learn more, check out our article: 12 possible warning signs of heart disease.

2. Heart attack

When blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot, it causes a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of heart attacks.

A heart attack is a serious medical emergency, so knowing what signs to look out for is important. According to the NHS, heart attack symptoms can include…

• Chest pain – a feeling of pressure, tightness, heaviness, and squeezing across your chest
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Pain in other areas of the body – it may feel as though the pain is spreading from your chest to your arms (usually the left arm, but it can affect both arms), jaw, neck, back, and tummy
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea or being sick
• An overwhelming feeling of anxiety, similar to a panic attack
• Coughing or wheezing

Note: While chest pain caused by a heart attack is often severe, some people may only experience minor pain, similar to indigestion. As a result, it’s important to call 999 immediately if you suspect you or someone else is having a heart attack.

3. Heart failure

Heart failure, sometimes called congestive heart failure, happens when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. It doesn’t mean the heart has stopped, but rather it’s become too weak or stiff to function properly – often due to underlying conditions like CHD, high blood pressure, and valve problems.

According to the NHS, heart failure means the heart needs support to work more efficiently. While it’s not usually curable, many people can manage their symptoms and live well with the right treatment and lifestyle.

The main symptoms of heart failure include light-headedness, swollen legs and ankles, shortness of breath (whether during activity or at rest), and feeling unusually exhausted, especially after exercise. Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over several weeks or months (chronic heart failure).

4. Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart rhythm condition where your heartbeat isn’t steady. It’s caused by a problem within the electrical system that makes your heart beat.

According to the NHS, symptoms of atrial fibrillation include an irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, chest pain and tightness, and a heartbeat faster than 100 beats per minute when resting. That said, sometimes atrial fibrillation causes no symptoms and is diagnosed as part of a routine check-up.

Atrial fibrillation is currently incurable, but treatment (including medication and surgery) can help manage symptoms and reduce your risk of complications like stroke, blood clots, and heart failure.

5. Peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), is a common condition where a build-up of fatty materials in the arteries restricts blood flow to the legs.

Many people don’t realise they have PAD, but the condition can cause a painful ache in the legs that usually disappears after a few minutes’ rest. Both legs are commonly affected at once, although symptoms in one leg may be more severe.

According to the NHS, PAD can also cause hair loss, numbness, and weakness in the legs and feet, brittle, slow-growing toenails, skin changing colour in the legs, and erectile dysfunction in men.

PAD isn’t immediately life-threatening, but if left untreated, it can lead to more serious complications, including coronary heart disease and critical limb ischaemia.

6. Aortic diseases

Aortic diseases are a group of conditions affecting the aorta – the body’s largest blood vessel responsible for carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

One of the most common aortic diseases is an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which happens when the aorta becomes weak and bulges outwards. According to the NHS, abdominal aortic aneurysms don’t usually cause symptoms until they get to a certain size. At this point, you may experience back and tummy pain or a pulsing in your stomach.

While most aneurysms don’t cause symptoms, there’s a risk they could rupture and cause internal bleeding. Because they also tend to grow over time, most people need regular scans to monitor them.

7. Strokes and TIAs

A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, happens when blood flow to the brain is disrupted due to a blood clot or a burst blood vessel. A lack of blood flow to the brain means less oxygen, causing brain cells to die within minutes. If not treated quickly enough, strokes can lead to lasting brain damage, long-term damage, and sometimes death.

The two main types of stroke are ischemic and haemorrhagic. This includes transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), also known as mini strokes, that occur when a blood vessel is temporarily blocked.

According to the Stroke Association, around 100,000 people in the UK have a stroke every year, and it’s the UK’s fourth-leading cause of death. For this reason, knowing the warning signs is key. To learn more, you might like to read our article: Stroke – warning signs and 6 ways to reduce your risk.

8. Inherited heart conditions

Inherited heart conditions (IHCs) are passed down through families. Examples include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Brugada syndrome, and familial hypercholesterolaemia.

For many people, the first sign that a heart condition runs in their family is when someone dies suddenly, with no obvious cause. This is known as sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS).

If you’re a relative of someone who’s been diagnosed with an IHC, it’s important to speak to your GP, who’ll likely refer you to a specialist centre to see if you have the faulty gene, which could lead to IHC. The British Heart Foundation has more information on IHCs if you’d like to read more.

What are the main risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases?

The exact cause of CVD isn’t always clear. However, there are various risk factors which can increase your risk. Luckily, many can be modified with treatment and lifestyle changes.

We’ll explore some of the most common below.

High blood pressure (hypertension)

According to the British Heart Foundation, high blood pressure is the leading modifiable risk factor for CVD in the UK, linked with around 50% of strokes and heart attacks. At present, an estimated 16 million UK adults are living with high blood pressure.

For practical next steps, you might like to read our article: 10 natural ways to lower blood pressure.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a significant risk factor for CVD, linked with one in 10 CVD-related deaths in the UK.

According to research, adults with diabetes are three to five times more likely to die from CVD than those without the condition. This is because high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels.

Taking steps to manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes can help reduce your risk.

High cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that circulates in our blood. While we need a certain amount to stay healthy, too much cholesterol can clog arteries and increase the risk of health issues, including CVD.

According to the British Heart Foundation, high LDL (bad) cholesterol is linked with one in five CVD deaths in the UK.

Check out our 5 tips to help lower cholesterol to learn more.

Smoking

Statistics estimate that at least 80,000 deaths each year are linked with smoking, including at least 18,000 CVD-related deaths.

Luckily, research shows that once you quit, the body begins to repair itself, with some benefits almost immediate. If you’d like to stop smoking, you might find our article, 7 tips for quitting smoking, useful.

Air pollution

Poor air quality has been found to significantly impact heart and circulatory health, with around 9,000 CVD deaths in the UK attributed to particulate matter each year. Among other things, air pollution can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and inflammation.

Poor diet, a lack of exercise, and being overweight or obese

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly can make all the difference in maintaining a healthy weight, which is key to reducing your risk of CVD.

Carrying excess body fat, particularly around your midsection, can increase cholesterol and blood pressure and, as a result, is associated with around one in nine CVD-related deaths in the UK.

Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet can reduce your CVD risk in other ways, too. For example, high-fibre diets are linked with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, but statistics show that over 90% of UK adults don’t eat enough fibre. Most of us eat just 60% of the daily adult recommended fibre intake of 30g.

Similarly, being physically active can reduce your risk of developing CVD by as much as 35%, but more than one in three UK adults doesn’t achieve the recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week.

Other risk factors

According to the NHS, other risk factors that can increase your risk of developing CVD include impaired kidney function, age, sex, family history, and ethnicity.

For example, people of South Asian, Black African, or African Caribbean background have a higher risk, and men are more likely to develop CVD at an earlier age than women.

Final thoughts…

Heart or circulatory conditions are a leading cause of death in the UK, so taking steps to boost your heart health is one of the best decisions you can make. Luckily, many CVD risk factors are modifiable, so even small changes can make all the difference.

For further reading, head over to our heart health section.

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Prostate Cancer and Dating: When and How to Tell Someone About Your Diagnosis

From everydayhealth.com

When you have prostate cancer, dating can feel more like a minefield than a walk in the park. What’s the right time to tell a potential partner about your condition? And how should you bring it up? 

It’s normal to feel anxious and fear rejection while also balancing your desire for privacy and feelings of obligation to talk about your symptoms from treatment, which may include sexual dysfunction and low libido. But it’s also possible to navigate the challenges of a prostate cancer diagnosis and experience connection and intimacy.

When Is It the ‘Right’ Time?

You have full control over how and when you share details of your prostate cancer diagnosis with a dating partner. If you’re not sure how you want to handle it, you can start by looking at a few factors.

Emotional Readiness

Regardless of how your potential partner may feel about dating someone with cancer, it’s important to understand if you are ready for dating. 

A prostate cancer diagnosis can spark a wide range of emotions, including anger, grief, and fear, says Brandi Jurecek, LCSW, a social worker at Texas Oncology in Plano, Texas. 

“It can cause a shift in identity that requires time to understand, adapt to, and accept,” she says. 

Ask yourself if you still feel emotionally overwhelmed by your diagnosis or if you feel you have the emotional space to connect with someone new, Jurecek says. 

Now vs. Later: Pros and Cons

Sharing a prostate cancer diagnosis and its various treatment side effects on a first date may feel too early. But it can also “weed out” bad matches quickly. 

You can also wait until you establish some trust before you share. Just be sure to discuss any sexual side effects of prostate cancer well before a sexual encounter, says Justin Dubin, MD, a urologist and the director of men’s sexual health at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute in Florida. Avoiding or burying the issue may lead to hurt and resentment.

If You Don’t Feel Ready to Talk About It

If you can’t imagine telling a date about your diagnosis but don’t know how to move forward, you have options. Dr. Dubin strongly recommends joining a support group for men experiencing similar symptoms and challenges. It helps to hear others’ stories and be part of a community, he says, and it can raise your comfort level if you don’t otherwise know how to do it.

Dubin also recommends sex therapy, which focuses on sexual health. It can help you get the most out of intimate moments and communicate your sexual limitations and desires to a partner.

It may also help to make sure you understand your condition, too. Especially if your diagnosis is new, consider asking your oncologist and healthcare team about potential sexual problems that your treatment might cause, when those problems might occur, and any support groups they might recommend.

How to Start the Conversation

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Even if you feel ready to tell a potential partner about your diagnosis, you may not know where to start. 

“Language is important when sharing personal information,” says Jurecek, who suggests framing your cancer diagnosis as an event you have successfully navigated instead of an uncomfortable confession.

“Cancer is something that you have experienced, not something that defines you,” she says. 

Conversation starters, she says, may include:

• “I have enjoyed getting to know you and would like to share something about myself.”
• "I want to be open with you about something I've been navigating." 
• "I've had some health challenges recently that I'd like to share." 

“Instead of sharing your diagnosis as something embarrassing, use confident language that focuses on honesty and resilience,” Jurecek says. 

As an example, she suggests saying: “I had prostate cancer, went through treatment, and now I am doing well. I think honesty is important as we get to know each other.”

If you are nervous, try practicing what you want to say in advance to ensure you are comfortable delivering it.

Addressing the ‘Elephants in the Room’: Side Effects and Intimacy

Conversations about sexual function can feel awkward, especially with someone you don’t know well yet. Prostate cancer and its treatment can cause erectile dysfunction and incontinence, which can be difficult to talk about. But if you use empowering language, you can explain your sexual journey with confidence.

For example, you can describe your current symptoms and also discuss treatment options you’re considering and the possibility of symptoms fading after a while. It can take months or years, but many men notice a return in erectile function, says Hugh J. Lavery, MD, the chief of the division of urology at Stamford Health in Connecticut. 

Sexual-dysfunction treatment options may include oral medications such as sildenafil (Viagra), medications injected into the penis, and pumps and prosthetic devices, Dr. Lavery says. If you leak urine during sex, you can have a cuff surgically placed around your urethra, which you pump up to block urine when needed, he says.

Remember that intimacy itself takes many forms, and you don’t have to have penetrative sex to share intimate moments with a partner. Oral sex, touching, mutual masturbation, heavy kissing, and sex toys could be possibilities, Dubin says. Ask your doctor if there are additional limitations for you based on your condition and treatment.

“Healthy intimacy during treatment focuses on a couple’s ability to be open, talk through feelings and fears, and find new ways to connect if the sexual side of the relationship looks different,” Jurecek says. 

Remember to be patient with yourself and your partner because it will take time to figure out your new sexual normal, she says. 

Navigating the Reaction

With or without prostate cancer, the fear of rejection after a date might hover like a gray cloud on the horizon. But after you share your prostate cancer journey, your potential partners may respond with compassion, acceptance, and no loss of interest.

If they don’t, it’s normal to feel hurt and ashamed, Jurecek says. 

“It is important to recognize that the reaction is not reflective of your worth but that person’s inability to handle the situation,” she says. 

After a poor reaction, reach out to your sex therapist, support group, or loved one, Dubin says. If you don’t have a community to lean on yet, your healthcare team can help you find resources.

Although dating can be tough, you deserve the relationship you want. Keep trying and remember that open communication is the key to strong relationships. 

“The right person will respond with compassion and kindness and will not be afraid to engage in a meaningful relationship,” Jurecek says.

The Takeaway

• Navigating dating with a prostate cancer diagnosis can be challenging. But open communication and honest conversations can foster meaningful connections and intimate relationships.
• The “right time” to tell a partner about your diagnosis is up to you. It depends on your own emotional readiness, and it may be more of a process than a one-time conversation.
• Remember to use empowering language when you tell your date about your diagnosis. Instead of apologizing for your condition or limitations, frame your journey as overcoming a challenge.
• Your healthcare team, as well as support groups and therapists, can help you understand your condition and build your comfort with intimacy and sharing potential side effects of your treatment.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/cancer/prostate-cancer-and-dating-how-to-tell-someone/