Doctor shares three simple at-home tests that can show if you have heart disease
A cardiovascular surgeon with 25 years of experience has revealed three things you can look out for at home to indicate that you might have heart disease.
Dr Jeremy London, a cardiovascular doctor from Georgia, US specialises in recognising heart attack symptoms, having suffered one three years ago.
After ignoring the 'life threatening' signs of heart disease, the health professional now shares heart-related advice on his social media pages.
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), heart and circulatory diseases cause a quarter of all deaths in the UK.
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Coronary heart disease (CHD) 'is the most common cause of heart attack' and is the 'biggest killer of both and men and women worldwide'.
Over on his TikTok page (@DrJeremyLondon), Dr London revealed 'three simple tests that you can do at home to determine if you are at increased risk for heart disease'.
Waist to height ratio
"Number one, waist to height ratio of greater than 0.5. Now, this is a clear indicator that you're at increased risk for coronary and heart disease," he said in a video from last year.
"This is based on the fact that it's truly a measurement of abdominal or visceral fat content, which is a known risk factor for heart disease."
Loss of hair on lower body
Dr London warned that a loss of hair on your lower legs, either on the shin or on the back of the calf, could indicate a heart problem.
"This can be an indicator of a lack of blood flow to your extremities," he explained.
"In other words, blockages in the blood flow to the leg.
"And because none of these things happen in a vacuum, if you have blockages in the legs, it's not uncommon then to find blockages in the heart."
Swelling in both legs
The third sign is swelling in both of your legs. This could mean 'that the heart pump is not working in its normal fashion, that it's become weakened'.
"In other words, heart failure, the fluid begins to back up and it collects in places like your lower extremities," Dr London said.
However, the expert noted that just because you might not have these three symptoms, doesn't mean you are 'free and clear' of heart disease.
Dr London suggested not to ignore 'other risk factors' such as smoking, poor diet, inactivity and excessive alcohol.
But if any of the three signs are showing up, he 'highly recommends that you're evaluated by a qualified medical professional'.
Anish Vij