A doctor has urged people to seek “immediate” medical help if they spot this sign when pressing on the fingernails. According to foot and ankle surgeon, Doctor Dana Brems, “pulsating” shades of pink and white under the nail could signal a serious heart issue.
This symptom is known in the medical field as Quincke’s sign and it indicates you could have a leaky heart.
If not treated quickly this can result in heart failure and even cardiac death, she said.
In a video uploaded to social media platform TikTok, Dr Brems explained more about Quincke’s sign while showing an example of what this could look like.
“If you see this in your nails, you need to see a doctor immediately,” she said. “This is Quincke’s sign.
“It can be seen when you press lightly on your fingernail or toenail and see these pulsating capillaries in the nail bed. It’s a sign of aortic insufficiency.
“In this condition the aortic valve of the heart doesn’t close properly. So when the blood is supposed to be pushed to the rest of the body, it’s actually leaky and a lot of the blood comes back into the heart.”
She warned: “This can lead to heart failure or even setting cardiac death. This is an example of how a subtle finding can mean a big problem.”
A case study, published in the British Medical Journal in 2021, looked at an instance of Quincke’s sign in a 74-year-old patient. The man also presented with other symptoms, including shortness of breath, weight gain, oedema (swelling) and elevated jugular venous pressure.
He was therefore diagnosed with and treated for congestive heart failure.
The study said: “Quincke’s pulse is characterised by alternating flushing and blanching of the nail bed in concert with the cardiac cycle, and frequently occurs along with wide pulse pressure.
“It is most commonly associated with severe aortic valve insufficiency; however, it can also be seen in patients with coarctation of the aorta as well as in patients with high-output physiology.
“The presence of Quincke’s pulse in a patient presenting with heart failure should raise suspicion for high-output heart failure.”
Other warning signs of heart failure, according to the NHS, include:
- Breathlessness
- Swollen ankles and legs
- Feeling lightheaded and fainting
- A persistent cough, which may be worse at night
- Wheezing
- A bloated tummy
- Loss of appetite
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Confusion
- A fast heart rate
- A pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
You should see your GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure. The NHS adds: “Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department as soon as possible if you have sudden or very severe symptoms.”
