Keeping Patients Informed: An Exploration of the Early Signs of Heart Disease

About 61% of US adults will have heart disease by 2050, research from the American Heart Association predicts. While the biggest driver of the trend will be the large number of people who have (or will develop) high blood pressure, many are more likely to develop dangerous health issues such as a heart attack or stroke. This makes awareness a key priority for anyone in the medical field. Healthcare providers can play a crucial role through an active online presence that advocates patient wellness in regard to the early signs, prevention, and treatment options that are out there.

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that impact the heart. As such, heart disease includes blood vessel disease (such as coronary artery disease), arrhythmias, congenital heart defects, disease of the heart muscle, and heart valve disease. Early warning signs of heart disease, according to the Cleveland Clinic, include chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, fatigue, and dizziness or unexpected fainting (or near-fainting) repeatedly. With that in mind, it’s essential to take into account the causes of heart disease as well — these include high blood pressure, pregnancy, autoimmune diseases, certain medications, substance use, abnormal heart rhythm, aging, and thyroid problems — to highlight a few of many.

The prevalence of heart disease throughout the country underlines the valuable role that healthcare providers can play. For example, in addition to patient acquisition via an enhanced online presence, the advertisement of the early warning signs and symptoms can serve as valuable knowledge to a target audience. An online presence that advocates for patient wellbeing can also inform on innovative procedures that can benefit individuals with certain heart conditions. Those with an irregular heart rhythm, for instance, may benefit from cardiac ablation. A heart ablation is defined as a surgical procedure that aims to correct heart rhythm issues through the use of radiofrequency energy. This works to destroy small areas of heart tissue that lay at the cause of an irregular heartbeat — this is crucial when correcting such an issue, as an arrhythmia can prevent the heart from doing its job (i.e. supplying enough blood around the body). It’s important to note that this procedure is typically recommended for patients with an arrhythmia as a last resort, though can be a first option depending on the type of arrhythmia and the patient’s situation.

More than half of US adults don’t know that heart disease is the leading cause of death, highlights a report from the American Heart Association, despite the fact that heart disease has long been the number one killer for over a century. Preventative care is crucial when the goal is to keep patients healthy — according to the Mayo Clinic, many forms of heart disease can be prevented or treated with the help of healthy lifestyle choices. This is where healthcare providers can play a major role. Becoming an advocate for patient wellbeing is a great way to support individuals with heart conditions online — infographics, videos, and even interaction on social media can all work to stress the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

It’s essential to remember that one in 10 Americans turn to social media for health information, highlights data released in 2021 from PatientsLikeMe, an online patient community. Nearly one in ten (9%) reported using social media as a resource to evaluate new treatment options, and seven percent use social media to discover information in relation to medication side effects. Such statistics underline the importance of quality online content from reputable sources, which unveils an ideal path for healthcare providers who seek to make a positive difference via online content that is informative and to the point.

Despite the prevalence and serious nature of heart disease, so many remain uninformed of the weight that such conditions can have. Through the focus on the early signs and symptoms, healthcare providers can build an informative and helpful online presence that aims to make a positive change.