Seniors who are concerned about heart disease know that they need to get screened for heart disease and watch for some of the most common signs of heart disease like chest pain or arm pain. But not all seniors have those symptoms of heart disease. It turns out there are a lot of other unknown symptoms that they can have, which could indicate heart disease in seniors. If your senior parent complains about any of these symptoms or their home care provider mentions that your senior loved one has indicated they are having these symptoms, then your senior parent needs to be checked by a doctor for heart disease.
Leg Pain When Walking
Seniors who have leg pain when they are walking could have blockages in their legs. Or it could indicated narrowed blood vessels caused by heart disease. And blockages in the legs can contribute to heart disease and increase the risks of having heart attacks or strokes. That’s one of the many reasons why seniors should be walking and active every single day. Walking, swimming, cycling, and other exercise will help protect seniors from getting blockages in their legs by increasing circulation throughout the body.
Struggling To Breath When Laying Flat
Many people are side sleepers by choice, but if your senior loved one is sleeping on their side because they can’t breathe properly if are they are laying flat on their backs they should get screened for heart disease. Struggling to breathe or having rapid shallow breaths when laying flat is a strong indication of heart disease in seniors. Difficulty breathing while laying on their back could be sleep apnea or a respiratory problem but it could also be an early symptom of heart disease and it’s something that should be checked out.
Swollen Ankles
There are a lot of things that can cause swollen ankles, so swollen ankles by themselves may not indicate heart disease. But if your senior parent is having swollen ankles and experiencing other symptoms of heart disease, then they should talk to their doctors and get checked for heart disease. If heart disease in seniors is caught early, then medication and lifestyle choices can help their heart disease under control before it becomes a serious threat to their health. But it will only get caught early if seniors, their home care providers, and their family members are watching to see if seniors have symptoms of heart disease.
Erectile Dysfunction or Vaginal Dryness
As seniors get older, hormonal changes, medications, and other factors can all contribute to seniors experiencing erectile dysfunction or vaginal dryness. But prolonged bouts of either of these conditions can also be a sign of heart disease. Seniors are who are experiencing either of these symptoms who also have other risk factors for heart disease should talk to their doctors about the other warning signs of heart disease and getting screened for heart disease as soon as possible.
