Three conditions described as ‘silent killers’ – first signs to look out for

Health conditions generally need to be monitored and treated in order to reduce your risk of complications developing.

Worryingly, there are so-called “silent killers” which can quietly lay their harmful groundwork for serious problems without triggering many warning signs.

High blood pressure, diabetes and pancreatic cancer belong to this daunting category, claiming millions of lives each year worldwide.

While the tell-tale signs won’t always appear, sometimes knowing what to look for can help spot them.

1.High blood pressure

High blood pressure is the precursor to cardiovascular problems, ranging from heart disease to strokes.

Around one in three adults in the UK suffer from this silent condition, the Blood Pressure UK explains.

However, many people with high blood pressure are unaware of it because the condition doesn’t necessarily make you feel unwell. However, there are some warning signs that could ring alarm bells.

According to the British Heart Foundation, the following red flags could appear:

• Blurred vision
• Nosebleeds
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Headaches.

While these signs can strike, the NHS explains the only way of knowing for sure whether you have high blood pressure is to have a test.

Fortunately, you can get your reading checked at a number of places, including your GP surgery and some pharmacies.

2. Diabetes

Diabetes is another condition that doesn’t often cause noticeable signs, yet it can lead to serious complications, including heart attacks and cancer, according to Diabetes UK.

Fortunately, diabetes often spurs on symptoms, but they can be difficult to spot without knowing what to look for.

The NHS explains that many people have diabetes “for years” without realising because the early symptoms “tend to be general”.

The health service shares that the following signs warrant seeing your GP “as soon as possible”:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
• Feeling very tired
• Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
• Itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
• Blurred vision.

Douglas Smallwood, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, said: “Diabetes awareness is key if we want to prevent people from facing a future of ill health: being diagnosed early means that you are less likely to develop the serious complications of diabetes.

“We need to make sure that people are aware of the risk factors and symptoms of type 2 diabetes and we need to encourage them to ask for a diabetes test if they are at risk of developing the condition.”

3.Pancreatic cancer

Sadly, pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all common cancers, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.

This gloomy statistic isn’t helped by the fact that this cancer type doesn’t usually cause symptoms in the early stages.

Furthermore, projections suggest there could be 16,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer diagnosed every year in the UK by 2038-2040, the Cancer Research UK warns.

Once the symptoms do appear, it’s important to act promptly in a bid to arrest the tumour growth.

The NHS recommends looking out for these tell-tale signs:

• The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice)
• Itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
• Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
• Feeling tired or having no energy
• High temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
• Feeling or being sick
• Diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo
• Pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you’re eating or lying down and better when you lean forward
• Symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated.

While symptoms like these don’t guarantee you have pancreatic cancer, as they can be caused by other benign conditions, it’s “important” to get them checked by a doctor, Cancer Research UK advises.

“See your GP if you have any new symptoms or symptoms that aren’t going away,” the charity adds.