Doctor Warns Serious Heart Condition Sign Could Be Detected in Nails
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An American doctor has revealed that a subtle sign in the nails could indicate a potentially serious heart condition, known as aortic regurgitation.
Dr. Joe, an American emergency response doctor with 2 million TikTok followers, explained that noticing a red pulsation when pressing on your nails could signal a problem.
Medically known as Quincke's sign, this pulsation is an indication of a heart condition where the organ is under extra strain.
“When the nail is pressed down, there’s a pulsation in the nailbed, and this comes from a condition called aortic regurgitation,” Dr. Joe said.
He added, "As blood leaves the heart to circulate through the body, a significant portion flows back into the heart, causing a range of issues."
These issues can vary from mild symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue to more severe conditions like heart failure and even death.
Aortic regurgitation is relatively common, with studies suggesting about one in 20 people may have some form of it.
However, only around one in 200 people experience the more severe form of the condition.
It is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 40 and 60, with men slightly more at risk. The NHS estimates that around 1.5 million people over 65 in the UK suffer from it.
The condition is caused by a weakness in the aortic valves, which fail to close properly, leading to the backflow of blood into the heart.
Over time, the heart weakens due to the additional workload it must perform to pump blood through these faulty valves.
The causes of valve weakening vary; it can be congenital, result from an infection, or occur due to physical chest injury.
In addition to Quincke's sign, other symptoms of aortic regurgitation include fatigue, shortness of breath during exercise, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, and swollen ankles or feet.
People experiencing these symptoms are urged to contact their GP immediately, as they may indicate a serious heart problem.
Diagnosis typically involves tests to assess heart function and scans to examine its structure.
Treatment depends on the severity of the condition. Mild cases may only require periodic monitoring and lifestyle changes to maintain heart health.
In more serious cases, medication may be prescribed, or surgery might be needed to repair or replace the aortic valves.