6. Nausea, Indigestion, Heartburn, or Stomach Pain: The Misinterpreted Signals of Heart Disease
While nausea and indigestion are usually associated with conditions like food poisoning or gastroenteritis, they can also be symptoms of heart disease. Some people may experience these signs during a heart attack or in the early stages of heart disease, often dismissing them as non-cardiac-related discomfort.
When the heart isn’t functioning optimally, it can send distress signals through the autonomic nervous system, which can lead to sensations of nausea or indigestion. This is because the heart and the digestive system share common nerve pathways, and the brain can sometimes confuse heart pain for stomach pain.
Heartburn and stomach pain, like nausea and indigestion, are also often mistaken for purely gastrointestinal issues. Still, they can be indicators of an underlying heart condition. These signs may be particularly likely to be misinterpreted in women and older adults, who may have more atypical symptoms of heart disease.
Understanding the connection between digestive symptoms and heart disease is vital to ensure that these warning signs aren’t missed. If you’re experiencing persistent or unexplained nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or stomach pain, particularly if it’s accompanied by other symptoms of heart disease, it’s essential to seek medical evaluation.
Yes, heart disease can indeed masquerade as a host of digestive issues. It’s crucial to remember that these seemingly unrelated symptoms could be your body’s way of sounding an alarm about your heart health. Hence, persistent digestive discomfort should not be ignored, especially when accompanied by other signs of possible heart disease. (6)
