Alarm Symptoms
Chest Pain
Pain in the chest can be many and varied and have different causes. The spectrum ranges from relatively harmless pain in the ribs to heartburn and heart attack. Often, the very character of the pain can provide clues to the cause (e.g. "like a stone on the chest" in the case of angina pectoris / heart attack). However, if the classification of the symptoms is not obvious, further examinations often have to follow after anamnesis and physical examination. Heart diseases must be clarified first of all. This may require blood sampling, ECG, cardiac echo, possibly an exercise ECG or even a cardiac catheter. If the heart is not the cause of the symptoms, an X-ray, abdominal ultrasound or gastroscopy may be necessary.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath, whether at rest or under stress, is often a threatening and frightening symptom. The cause can lie in many organs. At the beginning of the examination, the exact anamnesis and physical examination are carried out in order to be able to set the right course for further diagnostics. In the event of possible heart failure, an X-ray, a heart ultrasound and a laboratory examination can confirm the diagnosis. An important differential diagnosis is lung disease (bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia), which usually requires an X-ray and lung function test.
Weakness, Adynamia
A very unspecific symptom - but occurring suddenly and without an obvious cause Reason for further clarification: Particularly in older people and in women more often than in men, heart diseases can manifest themselves in a very unspecific form and then require a corresponding diagnosis. However, the spectrum of possible diseases is wide, other causes can be e.g. diseases of the thyroid gland, kidneys, liver or blood.
Extrasystole
Even in healthy people, heart stumbling or an unpleasant heartbeat can occur. The aim is to distinguish possible diseases from harmless palpitations. With examinations such as a long-term ECG over 24 hours, possibly also an event recorder, the distinction can be made. Depending on the result and other symptoms or previous illnesses, further diagnostics will follow. Last but not least, a heart stumble can also be an expression of a disease of another organ (e.g. the thyroid gland).
Dizziness, Lightheadedness
Dizziness is often a collective term for everything that goes hand in hand with a feeling of turning, lifting, swaying or generally "dizziness" and a feeling of insecurity. The main causes are neurological (nerve and/or brain) and cardiovascular causes. In addition to an examination of the carotid arteries, the internal medicine department will look for rhythm disturbances or circulatory problems.
Tendency for Swelling
Swelling of the legs (edema, dropsy) is one of the leading symptoms of heart failure, especially if it occurs on both sides: a heart ultrasound examination will then provide clarity. However, it is not uncommon for venous diseases (venous insufficiency, varicose veins) to be the cause of swollen legs - then an ultrasound examination of the veins will confirm the diagnosis.