CIRCULATION . 1 29 



SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS 



It is important to realize that the heart may be innocent of causing many 

 of the feelings of discomfort which are frequently blamed on it. The 

 cavity of the chest and the upper part of the abdomen, which is separated 

 from the chest by only a thin sheet of muscle, are packed tightly with 

 organs. Any extra pressure, such as gas in the stomach or small intestine, 

 for example, may give rise to pain in the chest with which the heart has 

 nothing whatever to do. On the other hand, any discomfort in the chest 

 which is directly related to exertion or excite?7tejjt should be a signal to 

 consult a physician. 



The heart itself may at times act queerly without having anything or- 

 ganically wrong with it. Common but annoying experiences of this kind 

 are skipped beats, palpitation (consciousness of the heart beat), and very 

 rapid beating of the heart. Noticeable misbehavior of the heart beat, or 

 any other annoying symptoms which may make you think you have heart 

 trouble, should always be investigated by a physician. If the physician, 

 after a careful examination, says that nothing is wrong with your heart, 

 believe him. Many people make themselves miserable by continuing to 

 think that they have heart disease, even after one or more physicians have 

 told them that their hearts are sound. 



There are a few symptoms which should always be investigated, be- 

 cause they indicate the need of medical attention whether they are due to 

 heart trouble or not. One of these is shortness of breath when at rest or 

 on exertion which has not previously caused breathlessness. Shortness 

 of breath associated with moderate exertion is an early symptom of a 

 weakened heart muscle. It is caused most commonly by the congestion 

 of blood in the lungs which occurs when the left side of the heart fails to 

 pump on all the blood it receives from the right side via the lungs. Sudden 

 acute attacks of breathlessness may come on while in bed at night. When 

 asthmatic breathing complicates this form of breathlessness, the condition 

 is called cardiac asthma. 



Swelling of the feet and ankles is another early sign of possible heart 

 weakness. When the circulation is slowed up because the heart fails to 

 pump with its customary vigor, fluid may gather in the tissues and cause 

 swelling, which is usually first noticed in the feet and ankles. 



THE HEART-BLOOD VESSEL EXAMINATION 



The ideal way to forestall the onset of heart trouble is to see your doctor 

 for a check-up every year and to consult him between times at the appear- 

 ance of one or more of the symptoms which may or may tiot indicate heart 

 trouble or hypertension. 



If you tell the doctor you are worried about your heart or your blood 



