Not every fatigue is ageing: Mumbai cardiologist flags heart valve disease in older adults

A father who walked every evening suddenly rests at home, a mother gets breathless climbing stairs, or an elder says "it is age, what else" and slowly cuts back daily chores. In many homes this is a common sight, and a decline in strength with age is considered natural. But Mumbai-based interventional cardiologist Dr Ashish Agrawal has cautioned that tiredness or breathlessness is not necessarily just a sign of ageing. A serious heart ailment may lie behind it.

According to Dr Agrawal, people often dismiss early symptoms during daily activity as stress, a busy routine or advancing age. But if the following symptoms persist, they could be a cause for concern.

The six symptoms are: breathlessness even during ordinary daily tasks, feeling more tired and weak than before, dizziness or light-headedness, swelling around the feet or ankles, a slower pace of walking or working, and a heartbeat that feels fast, pounding or irregular.

Dr Agrawal said that, particularly in people above 55, these symptoms may be linked to heart valve disease. When a valve of the heart does not open or close properly, the heart has to work harder to keep blood flowing correctly. The disease progresses very slowly and its early symptoms look exactly like advancing age. For this reason, it often goes undetected until it reaches a serious stage.

Dr Agrawal described the family's role as important. According to him, a person who is suffering is often unwilling to see a doctor or does not mention the problem. In such cases, young members of the household and relatives who provide care are the first to notice changes, such as a father who has stopped morning walks, a mother who has difficulty lifting things, or an elder who tires repeatedly. Instead of staying silent and putting it down to age, relatives should talk to them and persuade them to seek medical advice.

If the symptoms discussed are becoming long-standing or worsening, a doctor should be consulted without delay. Dr Agrawal advised people above 55 to include an echocardiogram (ECHO) test in their regular check-ups. According to him, it is a very simple, painless ultrasound test that accurately shows the heartbeat, blood flow and the working of the valves. It can detect the disease before the symptoms become severe.

According to Dr Agrawal, growing older does not mean giving up living happily and actively. Climbing stairs, going for walks or playing with grandchildren remains possible in old age. All that is needed is to take changes in the body seriously. If an elder at home has suddenly become sluggish or begun to tire, they should not be written off as just age, and a doctor should be contacted so that proper treatment can be taken in time.