10 SIGNS Your Body Shows Before Your HEART Dies + 7 Tips to Save it NOW!

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]10 signs, your heart isn't doing well.

[00:00:04]In this video, I'm going to tell you the main signs and symptoms of a weak heart, also known as heart failure, when the heart can't perform its function properly. So, what are the signs and symptoms? I've picked out the top 10, and then I'll talk about how to avoid them, how you can prevent them, and what the main tips are. As well, this video is really cool. There are several charts that will help you better understand the numbers and learn about heart health.

[00:00:32]Well, the first warning sign is fatigue.

[00:00:36]I'm going to highlight here the reduction in physical fitness or conditioning, as some people call it.

[00:00:42]If you previously found it easy to walk a distance of two city blocks, for example, and now you are doing that exact same exercise, but you find yourself [clears throat] noticeably short of breath and you're feeling very tired, then that is a significant warning sign that you should notice. Why is that?

[00:00:59]If your heart isn't working properly, it won't be able to oxygenate your tissues, your muscles, your body as it should.

[00:01:07]And one of the main signs and symptoms, often the very first one, is fatigue, a decrease in physical fitness.

[00:01:15]This is especially noticeable when it comes to stairs.

[00:01:18]Used to be able to climb three flights of stairs, but now you go up one and you're already tired? Or you climb three and you're more tired than usual? It's a warning sign, and you can actually notice it.

[00:01:30]It's also important to remember that fatigue is a symptom of many other illnesses, but heart failure is one of them. And yes, you need to rule out this diagnosis. Could it be that your fatigue is actually coming from your heart? A lot of people think about and blame other illnesses or other conditions. Oh, I'm tired because I'm more stressed.

[00:01:53]It's because of my emotions. I'm more tired because of this or that. And the heart often gets overlooked, even though it's one of the main causes of combined fatigue.

[00:02:03]The second sign is coughing, and this one is also often ignored.

[00:02:09]Why is that?

[00:02:10]Coughing is often a sign of some lung condition, some kind of infection, or even gastroesophageal reflux can also cause coughing.

[00:02:21]Some people think of it as an allergic cough, but the heart can also cause coughing.

[00:02:27]And here I want to draw attention to a dry cough or a cough with foam or pinkish froth. This could suggest a heart condition, that the heart is weak. So, when it comes to coughing, especially chronic cough, you have to remember the heart and get it checked out to see if it's not the cause of the cough, because other cough treatments won't help if that's the case.

[00:02:53]If that's the cause.

[00:02:55]If the underlying cause is related to the heart, then sign number three is noticeable swelling, especially significant swelling in the lower limbs.

[00:03:05]This typically starts in the legs because of the effects of gravity, particularly at the very end of a long day. So, that's one of its characteristics.

[00:03:14]You wake up without this swelling, but as the hours go by, the swelling increases, and by the end of the day, your legs are swollen.

[00:03:25]In more advanced stages, the swelling can also happen in other places, like the lungs.

[00:03:31]That well-known fluid in the lungs, have you ever heard of pulmonary edema? It can also happen in the belly. Ascites, heart problems can also be one of the causes, but these are more advanced signs. I want to draw your attention here to leg swelling, which can show up early on.

[00:03:49]And when you press on your legs around the ankle area, it can leave a mark.

[00:03:54]That mark is called pitting edema.

[00:03:57]This can help us tell it apart from other diseases that also cause leg swelling, like thyroid problems.

[00:04:04]But with thyroid problems, you don't get that mark called pitting edema, and in heart failure, it's one of the signs.

[00:04:11]Other diseases can also cause it, like kidney problems can cause swelling, but heart failure needs to be considered in these cases of swelling.

[00:04:21]And the fourth sign is weight gain.

[00:04:23]Look, isn't that interesting? Did you know that heart failure can lead to weight gain?

[00:04:29]Because the fluid build-up from the swelling.

[00:04:32]And this weight gain is on average about 2 kg.

[00:04:36]So, very significant increases can't be explained by this.

[00:04:41]Because of the heart, but two, and some studies even say up to 4 kg. Yes, this can happen in heart failure. And sign number five is shortness of breath.

[00:04:52]And I want to highlight a specific situation here, which is shortness of breath when lying down.

[00:04:59]In heart failure, we can see this sign.

[00:05:03]And what stands out is that many patients with a weak heart start using more pillows to be able to breathe better.

[00:05:11]So, if this is happening [laughter] to you, if you keep needing more and more pillows, you need to check how your heart is doing. Or if you notice things getting worse, or if you feel shortness of breath when you lie down, that's a warning sign.

[00:05:25]And sign number six is waking up to urinate.

[00:05:29]You saw that one of the signs and symptoms is swelling, the build-up of fluids.

[00:05:35]So, when you lie down, your kidneys might try to compensate by producing more urine to get rid of that fluid.

[00:05:42]And you might wake up during the night to go go the bathroom.

[00:05:46]It's important to point out that you should compare yourself to your own usual pattern.

[00:05:52]So, you didn't used to go to the bathroom during the night, now you're going twice.

[00:05:57]Or maybe you used to go twice.

[00:06:00]Now you're going four times, whoa, that's a warning sign.

[00:06:04]There are other conditions like diabetes for example that can also have this sign when your blood sugar levels are high.

[00:06:11]But the heart can also be one of the causes.

[00:06:14]And sign number seven.

[00:06:16]And this one is a more advanced sign which is changes in thinking, mental confusion.

[00:06:22]Memory changes.

[00:06:24]Because as you saw, the heart is essential for getting oxygen to our whole body.

[00:06:30]And in a more advanced stage, this can also happen in heart failure. Ideally, you should pay attention to the other signs and symptoms so you don't get to the point of having memory changes or mental confusion.

[00:06:43]And sign number eight, this one is also a more advanced which is low blood pressure.

[00:06:49]Did you know that?

[00:06:51]That with a weak heart, blood pressure can drop, called hypotension. The patient can even faint, but it's also a more advanced sign. And I'm not going to dwell on these two signs here. I'm just mentioning them because a lot of people might talk to you about them and now you'll understand why they happen.

[00:07:10]And sign number nine is palpitations.

[00:07:13]Have you ever felt that before? Does it feel like your heart is in your throat?

[00:07:16]Or do you feel your heartbeat becoming irregular?

[00:07:20]This can also be one of the signs of heart failure. And yes, you do need to get checked out if you're feeling this way.

[00:07:26]And sign number 10 is swelling in the veins of the neck.

[00:07:30]This can also happen due to a problem with the heart.

[00:07:33]And it's a sign that you can actually see.

[00:07:37]Many times when I see patients hospitalized with heart failure, their neck veins are more swollen. It's important for you to pay attention to this. And now, how can you prevent heart failure?

[00:07:49]How can you keep your heart from getting weak? Reduce that risk as much as possible.

[00:07:53]There are some valuable tips you need to pay attention to to reduce that risk as much as possible.

[00:08:00]There are seven tips.

[00:08:02]Tip number one is to control your blood pressure. Did you know that high blood pressure is one of the main causes of heart failure? Because when the heart works under high pressure, it can get weak.

[00:08:15]This can damage the muscle. It can harm your heart.

[00:08:18]But, what is a normal blood pressure value?

[00:08:22]I put like a chart here taking into account values from the United States and also from Europe because the medical societies sometimes have some differences, okay?

[00:08:33]But, as a rule, 120 over 80 is considered normal blood pressure.

[00:08:40]And you need to pay close attention to that.

[00:08:43]Did you see that?

[00:08:45]This can also greatly increase your chances of developing heart failure.

[00:08:50]And another major risk factor that you also need to pay close attention to among the main causes of heart failure is diabetes. Did you know that?

[00:09:00]When blood sugar levels are high in our blood, it can damage blood vessels, cause a range of diseases, and one of those diseases is a weak heart, heart failure. So, what are the normal values and what are the pre-diabetes values?

[00:09:15]What are the diabetes values?

[00:09:17]According to the American Diabetes Association, these are the values as shown in the table.

[00:09:23]And I want to emphasize here that it's important for this test to be repeated two or more times for you to get a diagnosis. A single test isn't enough.

[00:09:34]Or you need to repeat the test or combine it with another test at a different time.

[00:09:40]All right? Why is that? For example, fasting blood glucose, which is a test used to diagnose diabetes.

[00:09:47]There are a number of situations that can lead to a false positive, okay? Even at the time of the test, if you were sick, had a cold, or were under stress right before the test, that can affect the results and you might get a false diagnosis. So, it's important to repeat the test twice, or else with different methods, with different tests.

[00:10:10]Later, I'll give you some tips on how to lower your blood sugar levels, but let's keep going with our video, because the third thing you should pay attention to is cholesterol.

[00:10:20]Did you know that high cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart failure? Heart failure, too. I put the values here according to the American Society.

[00:10:30]And you can see that in the LDL table, which is considered the bad cholesterol, in quotes, it says individualized because it will vary.

[00:10:40]If you take someone who's an athlete, 30 years old, doesn't have diabetes, doesn't have high blood pressure, for that person, an LDL level of 130 will be good. Now, for someone else who has risk factors, who has already had a heart attack, for example, then the LDL target will be much lower.

[00:10:58]So, there isn't one value for everyone.

[00:11:01]It's important that at every appointment, the doctor evaluates these risk factors and assesses each person's individual situation to determine an ideal LDL value. Now, for the others, like HDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol, there we do have values set by the American Heart Association.

[00:11:21]Number four, take care of your thyroid.

[00:11:24]Did you know that thyroid diseases can cause a weak heart?

[00:11:28]Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause heart problems. And as a doctor and endocrinologist, I see this in practice. This is rarely talked about, which is why I'm highlighting it here.

[00:11:42]When it comes to thyroid diseases, so if you have any of these signs or symptoms, or if you've been diagnosed with heart failure, you need to check your thyroid function.

[00:11:53]I've included a table here with the normal values for TSH and free T4.

[00:11:59]These are the two essential tests for diagnosis. And along with that, I've also set aside something else for you.

[00:12:06]The expected values for TSH and free T4, what can happen?

[00:12:12]Because a lot of people think there's only one possibility. Oh, if TSH is high, then it's this. If TSH is low, then it's that. But actually, it's not that simple. There are some differences, and that's why both tests are essential.

[00:12:28]TSH checks the function, which is the gland that controls thyroid hormone levels, that stimulates it to produce more or less, and free T4 is produced directly by the thyroid.

[00:12:43]So, both tests are essential.

[00:12:45]There are others, like antibodies, whether I'm talking about anti-TPO, or total T3, or total T4. But as a rule, for diagnosis, these two tests are essential. Later, for further investigation, like checking for antibodies, then yes, it might be necessary.

[00:13:04]But not for the diagnosis.

[00:13:07]Hello. This is a very common question.

[00:13:10]Oh, my antibody levels are high, but my other tests are normal.

[00:13:15]Or else, a lot of people say, "Oh, the doctor didn't order the anti-TPO, and still gave me a diagnosis." So, yes, that's possible. But to determine the cause, then other tests are needed. Many times you can see that I set the upper limit at 4.0.

[00:13:34]That's according to the latest protocol from the American Society of Endocrinology.

[00:13:39]But some labs might still consider a slightly higher value. For example, up to 4.5. Some say it is high as 5.0.

[00:13:49]This isn't an absolute truth because depending on the method the lab uses to run the test, this can vary, okay? So, if you got a result of 4.2, it doesn't mean you're sick.

[00:14:02]The doctor needs to look at how the test was done, all right? But I had to provide a reference value, so I used the value from the Endocrinology Society protocol.

[00:14:12]All right? Understood?

[00:14:14]Number five, another way, and you already know this one, to avoid a weak heart is not to smoke.

[00:14:22]Smoking increases the risk of heart failure. And when I say that, I'm not talking about electronic cigarettes.

[00:14:29]I mean regular cigarettes, hand-rolled cigarettes, cigars.

[00:14:34]So, smoking, we have to avoid it completely. Zero tolerance.

[00:14:40]And also, number five, this one here.

[00:14:42]You also know this one. Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.

[00:14:48]After one drink a day, the risk to your heart starts to go up. Did you know that?

[00:14:54]Up to one drink, the studies they don't show this very clearly. Some even suggest it might have a protective effect on the heart, like with certain drinks such as wine. But that's only up to one drink and only for people who don't have any kind of alcohol-related issues, like fatty liver caused by alcohol. In those cases, it's zero alcohol, okay?

[00:15:17]I strongly suggest that you avoid alcoholic beverages, but I have to mention some studies here suggest that up to one drink wouldn't be harmful for people who don't have any kind of problem.

[00:15:28]And number six, and this is also a really good way to lower your heart risk, physical exercise.

[00:15:36]A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for heart disease. So, at least 150 minutes per week, split over three or more days. So, 50 minutes three times a day, actually three times a week, be careful here, or 30 minutes five times a week.

[00:15:55]And it's important that you don't cram all of that into just one day.

[00:15:59]So, 150 minutes in a single day for someone who doesn't exercise, that can actually be dangerous. That's the classic weekend warrior.

[00:16:07]You have to be careful with that. And what kind of exercise protects your heart?

[00:16:12]The specific type of exercise that you truly enjoy is the one you'll actually do consistently.

[00:16:19]It could be something like long-distance running, brisk walking, or even swimming laps in a pool.

[00:16:26]It could be going to the gym, weight training, so whatever exercise you like.

[00:16:30]Don't put too many limits on yourself here, because otherwise, it'll be hard to stick to this goal in the long run.

[00:16:37]And number seven, be careful. Pay close attention to your salt and sodium intake.

[00:16:43]I also put together a chart to illustrate this video.

[00:16:48]And you can see that for people who aren't at increased risk, the recommended intake is up to 6 g of salt or 2.3 g of sodium.

[00:16:58]There was a large study that looked at the average intake in the general population.

[00:17:04]In some countries, it's double that, 11 or 12 g of salt per day.

[00:17:11]Over the long term, this can lead to problems like high blood pressure. You saw that you need to keep your blood pressure under control.

[00:17:20]There are a lot of videos out there saying that sodium or salt isn't harmful.

[00:17:25]If it's just once, if one day you go over the recommended amount, well, your body can handle that.

[00:17:32]Now, there are people whose diets are based on processed foods, which are high in sodium.

[00:17:38]And if you eat foods high in sodium every day as a routine, that can definitely cause problems. So, be careful here. You saw that a lot of people consume twice the recommended amount.

[00:17:51]And it's important to point out that if you already have any health issues, you need to be even more careful.

[00:17:57]Here's the chart. It's easier than me just talking about it. Here are the numbers.

[00:18:01]From 0 to 10, what score would you give this video? If it's a 10, I'll make more videos like this one. Also, write here which city you're watching from.

[00:18:10]I'm speaking from Puerto Libre. Which part of the world are you from? Do you remember I said I would give you tips on how to control your blood sugar levels?

[00:18:18]So, I suggest you watch this video here.

[00:18:21]In this video, I explain ways for you to smartly manage your blood sugar levels.

[00:18:27]It's important that you watch it.

[00:18:30]Take care. See you next time.