A medical expert has warned that waking frequently at night with a particular symptom may signal heart failure
A doctor issued a stark warning that people who regularly wake in the “middle of the night” experiencing a specific symptom could be facing a serious health condition. That condition is heart failure.
Heart failure typically occurs when the heart becomes weakened or stiff, leaving it unable to pump blood around the body efficiently. It is a long-term condition that generally worsens gradually over time.
While it is rarely curable, symptoms can often be managed successfully for lengthy periods. As with any health concern, spotting warning signs early allows for swift access to appropriate treatment.
With this in mind, one medical professional has flagged several key symptoms that are worth keeping an eye on. In a video posted on TikTok, NHS doctor Suraj Kukadia shared his expert knowledge on the matter.
Dr Kukadia, who goes by Dr Sooj online, said: “What is heart failure and what are the symptoms?
“Look, a lot of people think that heart failure means death. It does not, but it does happen when the heart is not pumping the blood around the body as well as it used to.”
Warning signs to look for
Amongst the symptoms he highlighted was waking in the “middle of the night in a huff and a puff”. This happens because people with heart failure often experience breathlessness, including when lying down. He outlined: “Some of the common symptoms of it would include getting excessively breathless when exercising or walking, and there could be breathlessness at rest.
“There’s usually some form of breathlessness when lying flat. Sometimes people may even wake up in the middle of the night in a huff and a puff.”
This corresponds with advice from the NHS website, which lists “breathlessness after activity or at rest” as one of the “main symptoms” of heart failure.
Dr Sooj also detailed how pressing on your leg or ankle could reveal a condition called oedema. If the mark remains for several seconds, this may suggest heart failure.
He outlined: “And then there’s also ankle swelling or leg swelling, where there’s something called pitting oedema so you can press on the swelling and it indents.”
Nevertheless, he warned that these signs don’t necessarily confirm heart failure. Dr Sooj added: “Now, lots of these symptoms are present in lots of different conditions and some of them can be a bit of a variation of normal. For example, lots of people will get swollen ankles when there’s really hot weather outside.
“So if you are, let’s say 20 years old, you’re normally fit and well, you’re otherwise fit and well and then you’ve noticed that you’re getting a bit breathless when you’re exercising – that doesn’t mean that you have heart failure.
“That could be any number of different things to diagnose.” He recommended seeking advice from a GP if you experience any of these symptoms, in order to receive a thorough medical evaluation.
What the NHS says
The NHS says the main symptoms of heart failure are:
- Breathlessness after activity or at rest
- Feeling tired most of the time and finding exercise exhausting
- Feeling lightheaded or fainting
- Swollen ankles and legs
It adds that some people also experience other symptoms, such as a persistent cough, a fast heart rate and dizziness. Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
When to get medical advice
You should see a GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure, according to the NHS. The health body says you must call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E department as soon as possible if you have sudden or very severe symptoms.
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