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6 unexpected effects of heart disease

This common disease can hurt much more than your physical health.

woman holding a heart
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Heart disease is so much more than a physical condition—it can interfere with your personal and professional life in some surprising and frustrating ways.

To better understand the toll that heart disease takes on families, caregivers and individuals, a group of researchers surveyed heart attack survivors across the country. Their report, part the Gallup-Sharecare Show More

overwhelmed woman at desk
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Heart disease uses up your paid time off

Heart disease can stand in the way of your career, according to the Gallup-Sharecare report. People who had a heart problem in the last 12 months reported themselves as being:

  • Less active and productive at work
  • Lower performing
  • Absent 172 percent more often than those without heart problems

AfterShow More

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It makes it harder to keep up with loved ones

One of the most upsetting aspects of heart disease is the way it can interrupt your family life. Pain, uncomfortable symptoms and feeling constantly exhausted may keep you from taking part in family activities. In fact, almost 50 percent of recently diagnosed people were kept from their usualShow More

emergency
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Heart disease keeps you coming back to the ER

Hospital visits are nerve-wracking to say the least—the whole time you’re there, you just want to get home. But for people with heart disease, the local emergency room (ER) can feel like a second home.
People who had a heart problem in the last 12 months visited the ER three times more than healthyShow More

woman distracted at work
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Symptoms sabotage your focus

Distracting symptoms like shortness of breath, occasional chest pain, getting tired easily and swelling in your feet can make even the most basic tasks feel like a struggle.

Almost half of those diagnosed with heart disease in the last year reported being unable to concentrate when completingShow More

depressed man on his couch
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It ups your anxiety and depression risk

Heart disease brings many changes like needing more help with everyday activities, which can be difficult to cope with. You may feel lonely, less like yourself and uncertain about the future.

It’s common to feel this way after learning you have heart disease: 42 percent of recently diagnosed peopleShow More

man reading through bills in his kitchen
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Heart disease puts your bank account in the red

In addition to keeping you home from work, heart disease can puts serious strain on your bank account and your peace of mind. About 47 percent of recently diagnosed people reported feeling worried about money. Even if you have insurance, out-of-pocket costs can really add up.

But there are ways to Show More

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