Don't Underestimate, Prolonged Cough Becomes A Symptom Of Heart Disease

Illustration of prolonged cough. (Photo: Freepik/benzoix)

JAKARTA - Cough is basically a natural reflex of the body to clean the respiratory tract from foreign mucus or particles. However, if coughing occurs continuously for no apparent reason, this may not be just a respiratory problem, but a sign of heart health problems.

According to a study published by the Bio-Medical Institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Krarbuh, there is a type of cough called a Cardiac cough or a heart cough. This condition can be an early sign of heart disease.

"If ignored, a heart cough could develop to heart failure," the researchers wrote in their report, quoted from the Times of India page.

What Is Heart Cough?

The heart cough is a cough that arises due to heart problems. When the function of the heart weakens and is not able to pump blood properly, there is a buildup of fluids in the lungs called a pulmonary edema. This fluid increases pressure in the pulmonary blood vessels and makes the breathing become heavy.

In response, the body raises a cough reflex to try to clean the respiratory tract. This cough is usually:

- It is permanent (not subsided),

- Produce foamy phlegms, sometimes even mixed with blood,

- Often misdiagonated as respiratory tract infection.

Because the symptoms are similar to coughing due to lung disorders, many people realize too late that the cough is actually related to the heart. This risks making the treatment not right on target.

Recognizing signs of cardiac cough is very important for early detection and rapid treatment. Research emphasizes that both men and women need to be more aware of these symptoms in order to maintain heart health.

"Understanding the connection between cough and heart disease can increase public awareness so that medical treatment can be carried out more quickly and the results of treatment are better," the report said.

The Main Characteristics Of Cough Related To The Heart

Distinguishing cough due to heart problems with regular cough is not easy. Even so, there are special signs that can be clues.

1. The severity of coughing at night. Cough often becomes more and more when lying down, because the fluid in the lungs is easier to spread when the body is flat.

2. Da'ak foamy white or pink. A foamy Lending that sometimes mixes pink can indicate a liquid in the lungs, a distinctive sign of a pulmonary edema.

3. Appear during activities. Cough can arise or get worse when doing physical activity, because the heart has to work extra hard.

4. Accompanied by shortness of breath and mengi (bengek disease). The breath feels heavy to the same as asthma, but it doesn't get better even though it uses asthma.

5. chronic dry cough. Cough that never heals without a previous history of lung disease can be the starting signal of a heart disorder.

Cough that has not subsided for a long time, especially accompanied by other complaints, is often an early alarm of heart failure. Realizing the link between cough and heart health can help early detection so that serious complications can be prevented.

If you experience constant coughs along with symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, or fatigue easily, immediately do a medical examination to ensure heart condition.

Early Symptoms Of Heart Disease In Men And Women

Signs of heart disease can arise differently in men and women. Some of them are still associated with cardiac cough:

In Men

- Feelings of pressure or discomfort in the chest

- Shortness of breath Even when doing light activities

- Easy to get tired without a clear cause

- Irregular heartbeat (palpitation)

- Pain spreads to the neck, jaw, back, or arms

In Women

- Shortness of breath even in a state of rest

- Swelling on the ankle, stomach, or foot soles

- Cough repeatedly at night

- Proposal of digestion such as nausea or vomiting

- Unusual pain in the jaw, back, or upper abdomen.