{"id":610987,"date":"2026-02-23T18:33:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:33:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/610987\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T18:33:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:33:16","slug":"we-asked-3-cardiologists-what-heart-disease-symptom-you-should-never-ignore-and-they-all-said-the-same-thing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/610987\/","title":{"rendered":"We Asked 3 Cardiologists What Heart Disease Symptom You Should Never Ignore, and They All Said the Same Thing"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the last century, heart disease has sat atop the list as the most common cause<\/a> of death among U.S. adults. And symptoms often start with something other than the severe or sudden chest pain that signals a heart attack<\/a>. <\/p>\n

“Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, yet many people either don\u2019t recognize early warning signs or misinterpret them as something minor,” saysDr. Tina Shah, MD<\/a><\/strong>, a cardiologist at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle. “The sooner symptoms are identified, the sooner treatment can begin, which dramatically improves survival and reduces long-term damage to the heart.”<\/p>\n

Heart health treatment also includes managing risk factors for cardiac events and cardiovascular disease. So, what are heart disease and heart attack risk factors to know about?<\/p>\n

“In no particular order: High blood pressure<\/a>, high cholesterol<\/a>, high sugar (diabetes)<\/a>, high inflammatory state, high stress, smoking, lack of exercise and family history of heart attack,” states Dr. Lu Chen, MD<\/strong><\/a>, a cardiac electrophysiologist with MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center.<\/p>\n

Your doctor can help you assess your personal risk for heart attacks. and disease. However, if any of the above risk factors sound familiar, you’ll want to be especially aware of the common red flags for heart failure and heart attacks. <\/p>\n

Read on for the top overlooked symptoms cardiologists are warning people to never ignore\u2014whether they have heart disease risk factors or not.<\/p>\n

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Never Ignore This Heart Disease Symptom, Cardiologists Say<\/p>\n

“Shortness of breath\u2014especially during activities that used to feel easy, like walking, climbing stairs or doing household chores\u2014can be a red flag for heart trouble,” warns Dr. Aye Thandar Win, MD<\/strong><\/a>, a cardiologist with Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix.<\/p>\n

You may think shortness of breath is a sign of a lung issue, so here’s a reminder that your heart doesn’t operate in a vacuum.<\/p>\n

“Shortness of breath basically means that the heart or lung cannot keep up with the oxygen demand of the body,” Dr. Chen explains. “A heart attack reduces the blood supply to the heart muscles. The end result is that the heart muscles cannot function properly to supply oxygen to the rest of the body, which leads to shortness of breath.”<\/p>\n

\"Iuliia<\/p>\n

Iuliia Burmistrova&sol;Getty Images<\/p>\n

(Iuliia Burmistrova&sol;Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The promising news is that people do tend to see shortness of breath as a red flag: Data published in Circulation<\/a> in 2022 noted that increased shortness of breath was one of the top reasons people experiencing heart failure sought hospitalization. Yet, cardiologists have seen firsthand that many people still write off shortness of breath, even if they already have a heart disease risk factor like diabetes.<\/p>\n

“Shortness of breath often develops gradually and can be blamed on stress, aging, lack of fitness, weight gain or being busy,” Dr. Shah notes. “Many people also believe heart attacks are sudden and dramatic, like in movies<\/a>, so they doubt themselves when symptoms are subtle. This normalization is one of the biggest reasons people delay care.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Win agrees that Hollywood hasn’t helped.<\/p>\n

“Movies reinforce this idea, but many people experience symptoms, including shortness of breath, for days or weeks or even months beforehand,” Dr. Win explains.\u00a0“They just ignored the symptoms or rationalized them away. Self-doubt plays a role, too. People worry about overreacting or ‘wasting’ a doctor\u2019s time, especially if symptoms come and go.”<\/p>\n

Related: 8 Real People Explain Exactly What Having a Heart Attack Feels Like<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

What To Do if You Notice Shortness of Breath<\/p>\n

Flagging a potential heart attack or failure, such as if you have shortness of breath, is not an example of wasting healthcare providers’ time. If you notice new or worsening shortness of breath, Dr. Win urges you to:<\/p>\n