Problems with the cardiovascular system can show themselves in a lot of different ways.
One person in the U.S. will die from cardiovascular disease every 36 seconds, making it one of the leading causes of death for Americans. Additionally, roughly 655,000 Americans die from heart complications each year — which breaks down to one in every four deaths.
While these stats are alarming, it’s more alarming that many people are totally unaware of the small, insidious signs that could indicate cardiovascular issues.
“Many people look to chest pain as a warning sign of cardiovascular disease,” said Mariko Harper, a physician in Seattle who specializes in cardiovascular disease, nuclear cardiology and echocardiography. But, he added, “While more than one-half of people present with chest discomfort when they are having a heart attack, up to one-third of patients — especially women — don’t have any chest symptoms at all. They may present with more atypical or subtle symptoms.”