Doing a crucial bit of inoccuous exercise could lead people to spotting a vital sign of cardiovascular disease. Worldwide, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, responsible for nearly 18 million fatalities annually.
This includes conditions that affect the heart and circulatory system such as strokes, coronary heart disease and heart failure. In the UK cardiovascular disease is just as deadly, causing around a quarter of all deaths.
Therefore, being able to spot the warning signs before it is too late is vital. Many of us are aware of some of the most common symptoms, such as chest pain. But others are lesser known and less obvious.
In some cases these symptoms can appear in the most unlikely of places – including the legs. There are two warning signs of cardiovascular disease that can appear in the legs, and be made even more obvious when walking.
These are leg pain and swelling.
Leg pain
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) lists leg pain as one of the key signs of heart disease.
Professor David Newby, professor of cardiology at the BHF Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Edinburgh, explained: “If you get a gripping, cramping sensation in your calves when you are walking, it might be worth seeing your doctor, as that can be a marker of PAD (peripheral arterial disease).
“It’s most common in smokers and people who have diabetes.”
If you experience this you should make an appointment with your GP, the BHF says. This is backed by information provided by Harvard Health in the US.
It says: “If you notice a painful cramping sensation in your calf when you walk, you might blame a cranky knee joint or write it off as a sign of ageing.
“But this symptom may signal a more serious condition, known as peripheral artery disease, or PAD.
“PAD occurs when fatty deposits clog the arteries outside of the heart (most commonly in the legs) and reduce blood supply in that part of the body.
“The hallmark symptom is leg pain that occurs with exercise, called intermittent claudication.”
Leg swelling
The NHS states that leg swelling is one of the most common signs of heart failure.
Medically, this is known as oedema and it can also occur in the ankles.
“It may be better in the morning and get worse later in the day,” the health body says.
The Mayo Clinic in the US adds: “Congestive heart failure causes one or both of the heart’s lower chambers stop pumping blood well.
“As a result, blood can back up in the legs, ankles and feet, causing oedema.”
You might also experience swelling in your abdomen as a result of heart failure.