Many licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) are familiar with the commonly known signs of a heart attack. However, not all LVNs know to observe their patients for early signs that may indicate the beginning of various heart problems. When the heart and its many vessels begin to weaken, it can cause different symptoms in various parts of the body. By observing for and teaching patients to be alert to the presence of one or more of the following symptoms, LVNs can assist in the early detection of heart problems which may ultimately prevent a heart attack.
One of the common signs of heart problems is persistent neck pain. Unlike the pain caused by pulling a muscle, this symptom can be described as a radiating pain with no specific location that is unrelieved by ice, heat, or massage. When heart tissue is damaged, nerves send pain signals along the spinal cord which are often felt in the neck and shoulder. This symptom is very often overlooked because patients expect to feel a more acute pain accompanied by the classic symptom of numbness in the chest that radiates down the shoulder and arm.
Other symptoms to be aware of include dizziness, faintness, or shortness of breath during activities that previously caused you no trouble. While lung disease may cause a gradual onset of shortness of breath due to damage of the lung tissue, sudden shortness of breath with exertion that is relieved by rest may indicate heart or cardiovascular disease. A likely cause may be plaque buildup in the arteries, known as coronary artery disease, which decreases the amount of oxygenated blood to the heart. The patient may report pain upon breathing or the inability to take a deep breath. The LVN can educate the patient and family that this symptom is a type of heart muscle pain referred to as angina.
Perhaps the most overlooked symptom of early heart problems is heartburn, especially in women. While one prolonged episode of abdominal pain might be a normal experience with indigestion or food poisoning, repeated episodes may be an early warning sign of heart disease. This discomfort is caused by a reduction in the blood supply to the heart caused by blockages in an artery which may send pain signals to the lower body.
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