This Morning: Dr Chris discusses heart disease
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There are around 7.6 million people living with heart disease in the UK: four million men and 3.6 million women. But how do you spot the signs of heart disease? Noticing your skin or lips changing to a different colour could be a big indicator your blood isn’t getting enough oxygen and could spell major danger. What to spot?
When you’re extremely cold, the skin can turn blue or purple with the medical term known as cyanosis.
If an area of your skin is blue or purple when you’re warm, that can be a sign your blood isn’t getting enough oxygen.
Blue toe syndrome happens when one or more blood vessels are blocked and could be an early warning symptom of heart disease.
Without treatment, the lack of oxygen can cause the skin and underlying tissue to eventually die.
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Cyanosis is where your skin or lips turn blue and can be a sign of a serious problem.
A person may also notice a blue colour on their:
- Tongue
- Gums
- Skin
- Ears
- Under their nails.
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“The lips are usually red, but they can take on a bluish colour [cyanosis] in people with heart problems, due to the failure of the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygenated blood to tissues,” Taylor wrote for The Conversation.
“Of course, people also get blue lips if they are extremely cold or have been at a high altitude.
“In this case, blue lips are probably just due to a temporary lack of oxygen and will resolve quite quickly.”
According to the NHS, other signs of heart disease other than a blue tinge on the skin or lips can include:
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
- Swelling in the legs, tummy and around the eyes
- Shortness of breath in babies during feeding (making it hard for them to gain weight) and in older children and adults during exercise
- Extreme tiredness and fatigue
- Fainting during exercise
- Swelling in the hands, ankles or feet.
If you have particularly blue lips or skin, you should go to a hospital straight away, urged the NHS.
The body may not be receiving enough oxygen due to a problem in the lungs, airways or heart.
Meanwhile, you could also be at risk of heart disease if you notice a build-up of yellow bumps on your skin.
These lumps, which are known as xanthomas, may be caused by excess cholesterol in the body.
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