Doctor warns one change to night-time routine could be early heart disease warning sign

Doctor warns one change to night-time routine could be early heart disease warning sign Dr Alex Wibberley has warned that needing extra pillows to sleep comfortably could be a sign of orthopnea — one of several subtle early warning signs of heart disease that are commonly missed As we age, everyday activities such as climbing a flight of stairs or lugging a bag of shopping from the supermarket to the car can become increasingly difficult. However, that slight breathlessness could be just one of several early warning signs of a serious underlying health condition. Another, less obvious indicator of potential health problems, according to Dr Alex Wibberley, is finding yourself more comfortable in bed at night with an extra pillow. It may seem like a harmless minor shift in your habits, but it could actually signal the onset of a condition known as orthopnea. Orthopnea is a shortness of breath that occurs when lying flat, but disappears the moment you sit or stand upright. Those affected may also experience a dry cough or wheezing while lying down that subsides upon sitting up. It is quite common for people to reach for an extra pillow at night to ease the symptom – yet all the while they are ignoring the root cause. The condition, Dr Alex explains on his Doctor Alex YouTube channel, is one of several subtle warning signs of a future heart attack that frequently go unnoticed. Each of them can ultimately be linked to a stiffening of vital blood vessels, which places additional strain on the heart. When the heart is compelled to work harder, Alex explains, like any other muscle it will "thicken" over time to handle the strain. However, while a more muscular heart will be capable of squeezing forcefully enough to maintain normal blood flow, it will typically struggle during the relaxation phase between beats. This struggle is all-too-easily overlooked. Alex explains: "This doesn't show up on a routine ECG," he says, "it won't be caught I a standard GP check. But it shows itself in daily life." He notes that the earliest indicators of cardiovascular disease are "pretty boring," which is precisely why they're so frequently missed. They can be mistaken for the consequences of having had several hectic days, becoming slightly unfit, or simply ageing. "That is exactly what makes them dangerous," Alex says. "Take tiredness for example... the unusual fatigue after climbing just one flight of stairs." He points out that this isn't the sort of thing many people will comment on. They'll simply accept it as par for the course with getting older. As just one example, Alex says: "People start sleeping with an extra pillow without really consciously deciding to. They just find themselves more comfortable when they're slightly upright." Fluid that has accumulated in your legs throughout the day will redistribute itself once you've been lying horizontal for a period. Particularly, it will migrate to your chest and begin placing pressure on your lungs. Alex adds: "In emergency departments, that is a big red flag for heart failure... in somebody's house, it's just an extra pillow, but to [emergency room doctors] that means something." The encouraging news about these early warning signs is that they present a chance to prevent a future heart attack. "This window for changing this trajectory is really big. It's years wide" he continues. Exercise and diet are dependable methods for improving your heart health, with Alex continuing: "When you do sustained rhythmic movement – like walking briskly, or cycling, or swimming, or rowing, the increased blood-flow creates mechanical friction against the blood vessel wall." That friction, he explains, will encourage the body to produce more nitric oxide, the essential molecule that fights vascular inflammation, and reduces blood pressure by relaxing and widening blood vessels. "Studies have shown this happening within weeks, not months or years, of starting exercise, he adds. "The biology is more responsive than most people expect. " Reducing your carbohydrate intake, too, will have a beneficial effect on your heart health, he says. Alongside monitoring your blood pressure, these are the straightforward, accessible steps anyone can take to lower the risk of serious heart disease. The NHS also has comprehensive advice on symptoms of cardiovascular disease and guidance on how to reduce your risk of developing it. Click here to find out more.