Ignored fatigue could be a silent threat to your heart: Cardiologist warns of deceptive, fatal symptoms young adults often overlook

A few skipped meals, stubborn fatigue, or a sudden feeling of tightness around the stomach may not seem alarming to most people, especially those young and otherwise active. But according to U.S.-based heart transplant surgeon Dr Dmitry Yaranov, these quiet signals could be the body’s earliest cries for help — signs of developing heart failure that too often go unnoticed until it’s too late.

In a post shared on Instagram, where he is known as @heart_transplant_doc, Dr Yaranov revealed that “two out of three patients” he treats admit to having ignored their first symptoms. His words carry an urgent reminder: “The symptom you ignored must have been the first sign.”

When tiredness isn’t just tiredness
Dr Yaranov, who serves as the Medical Director for Advanced Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, and Mechanical Circulatory Support, highlighted how easily subtle symptoms are brushed aside. Fatigue that lingers despite rest or caffeine, persistent bloating, or a feeling of fullness after small meals are often dismissed as digestive issues or stress-related fatigue.

Yet, these may actually signal that the heart is struggling to pump effectively. “I was just tired all the time,” “I thought it was something I ate,” and “I didn’t think heart failure could feel like this” are among the most common refrains he hears from patients who later learn their condition had already begun progressing silently.

The deceptive calm before danger
Unlike the dramatic chest pains that people often associate with heart attacks, heart failure in its early stages can appear deceptively calm. Dr Yaranov lists symptoms such as:

• Fatigue so deep that caffeine doesn’t help
• Unexplained bloating and weight gain
• Clothes feeling tighter around the stomach
• Shortness of breath during simple activities
• Needing naps just to get through the day

“No chest pain. No dramatic collapse. Just a body quietly struggling — until it can’t anymore,” he wrote in his post, underscoring the quiet progression of the disease.

Why young people shouldn’t ignore the quiet signs
Heart failure has long been perceived as a condition of older adults, but Dr Yaranov warns that younger and active individuals are not immune. The early phase of heart dysfunction can begin with vague symptoms that blend into the routines of busy lifestyles — exhaustion, irregular eating habits, and mild swelling.

“Heart failure can start quietly — especially in younger or active people,” he explained. “Don’t write it off. Don’t wait until it’s obvious.”

As heart disease continues to be a leading cause of mortality globally, Yaranov’s insights serve as a wake-up call. Recognizing the body’s “quiet struggle” can make all the difference between early intervention and irreversible damage. His final piece of advice is simple but powerful: “Trust the quiet signs. Get checked.”