BBC Doctor Highlights Mouth Symptom as Potential Heart Disease Warning
A prominent BBC doctor has issued a crucial warning about subtle indicators of cardiovascular disease, describing it as a "silent killer" affecting millions across the United Kingdom. Dr Punam Krishan, appearing on BBC Morning Live, detailed risk factors and protective measures while emphasising that many people experience no obvious symptoms before a serious cardiac event occurs.
Alarming Statistics on Cardiovascular Prevalence
According to the British Heart Foundation, more than half of the UK population is projected to develop some form of heart or circulatory condition during their lifetime. Current figures reveal that over 8 million people are living with cardiovascular disease, comprising more than 4 million men and over 3.6 million women. This condition accounts for more than one in four deaths nationwide, with approximately 170,000 lives lost annually to heart and circulatory diseases.
Dr Krishan explained the deceptive nature of cardiovascular conditions, stating: "Unfortunately yes and that is one of the hardest things about heart disease. Often, especially things like coronary artery disease, can develop very quietly over a long period of time."
The Silent Progression of Heart Conditions
The general practitioner noted that many people expect dramatic warning signs, but cardiovascular issues frequently progress without obvious symptoms. "Narrowing or hardening of the blood vessels doesn't necessarily always cause shortness of breath or chest pain or red flags," she explained. "Then eventually just something triggers and can tip off into a heart attack or heart failure, a rhythm disturbance."
Dr Krishan highlighted concerning statistics: "A significant number of first-time heart attacks, people didn't actually have prior symptoms. If we look at things like blood pressure, cholesterol, a lot of these we call them the silent killers. They don't often present with symptoms."
Recognising Symptoms Beyond Chest Pain
While chest pain and tightness remain the most recognised symptoms, particularly during exertion, Dr Krishan emphasised that cardiovascular issues can manifest differently, especially in women. "It doesn't often have to be chest pain," she advised. "It could be tightening in the jaw, pain down the arm, a bit of a numb sensation, anything like that, pain across the back, your shoulders."
The doctor specifically mentioned a sign in the mouth area that could indicate potential heart issues, though she stressed that symptoms vary between individuals. Other warning signs include sudden shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness, and extreme fatigue that appears unexpectedly.
"The key message here if something is new, a symptom that develops acutely, you are feeling unwell, don't ignore it," Dr Krishan urged. "What I see a lot in general practice is that women are at risk of that. Women tend to dismiss it and think it's probably nothing. Just don't do that."
Controllable and Uncontrollable Risk Factors
Dr Krishan outlined both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Controllable elements include:
- Diet and nutrition
- Physical activity levels
- Smoking habits
- Alcohol consumption
- Stress management
"As doctors we always talk about lifestyle. It is so powerful," she emphasised. "These are all lifestyle modifiable factors."
Factors outside individual control include:
- Ageing and increased risk with advancing years
- Gender differences in presentation timing
- Ethnicity, with higher prevalence in certain communities including South Asian populations
- Genetic predisposition and family history
"If there is risk of heart disease in younger people or you know there was a strong family history then that is something to take note, mention that to your GP when you go in," Dr Krishan advised.
Proactive Protection Strategies
The doctor recommended several protective measures to reduce cardiovascular risk:
- Adopt a balanced, healthy diet with attention to daily nutritional intake
- Reduce or eliminate smoking and moderate alcohol consumption
- Incorporate regular exercise, with walking highlighted as particularly beneficial for heart health
- Schedule regular health checks, especially for those aged 40 and above
"Check in with your doctor, have that basic health screen, your blood pressure check, your cholesterol, your weight," she recommended. "If you are carrying excess weight that's something we can support you with. All these things are controllable."
Dr Krishan concluded with a message of empowerment rather than fear: "The point of this isn't to scare people it is to empower you... It can present silently, it can make you panic, but we can do a lot to protect ourselves."
