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Heart health is largely impacted by our lifestyle choices. Our heart beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifetime, pushing millions of gallons of blood to every part of the body. Keeping in mind the never-ending workload over the heart, it is important to make efforts to maintain a healthy heart and be aware of the signs of an ageing heart.

An ageing heart is when less-oxygen-rich blood is being pumped out of your body. An older heart rests at a lower heart rate compared to when you were younger. This means that your heart rate doesn't increase as much during exercise. This can lead to thicker artery walls and less elastic tissue in them, WebMD reported. Ageing can cause changes in the heart and blood vessels. Here is a list of signs of an ageing heart that you must not ignore.

1. Decreased Heart Rhythm

According to WebMD, as one gets older, their heart cannot beat as fast during physical activity or times of stress as it did when you were younger. However, the number of heartbeats per minute or the heart rate at rest does not change significantly with normal ageing.

2. Expansion Of Left Ventricle

Left ventricular hypertrophy is the thickening of the walls of the lower chambers of the heart. The left ventricle is the heart’s main pumping chamber. The Mayo Clinic reported that during left ventricular hypertrophy, the thickened heart wall can become stiff. Blood pressure in the heart increases. The changes make it harder for the heart to effectively pump blood. Eventually, the heart may fail to pump with as much force as needed.

3. Heart Beat

An older heart may not be able to pump when you make it harder. It rests at a lower rate compared to when you are younger. According to WebMD, an older heart rests at a lower heart rate compared to when you were younger. This means that your heart rate doesn’t increase as much during exercise. This can lead to thicker artery walls and less elastic tissue in them.

4. Arteriosclerosis

It is a hardening and narrowing of your arteries caused by cholesterol plaques lining the artery over time. It develops when a sticky substance called plaque builds up in your arteries. This condition can affect most of the arteries in the body, including arteries in the heart, brain, arms, legs, pelvis, and kidneys.

5. Shortness Of Breath

Breathlessness is a symptom of an ageing heart. As the heart ages, its ability to pump blood decreases. Harvard University reports that while some degree of vitality loss can be attributed to natural ageing, fatigue and breathlessness may also signal that your heart is not functioning as well.

 

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)

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