What are the symptoms of heart disease?
The following are the most common symptoms of heart disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: • chest pain • shortness of breath • irregular heartbeat • swollen ankles The symptoms of heart disease may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Heart Disease SymptomsIf you have any of the following symptoms of heart disease, seek medical help immediately: • chest discomfort that may feel like squeezing, burning, tightness, or heaviness • chest pain called angina pectoris that often gets better with rest • chest pain called Prinzmetal’s angina that may occur during rest • frequent indigestion • pain, heaviness, tightness, pressure, burning, or squeezing in your back, shoulder, arm, face, jaw, or teeth • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Some people with heart disease have no symptoms. OAS_RICH(“x25”); Coronary heart disease is called CHD, or simply heart disease, for short. Often, there will be no symptoms of CHD until a heart attack or cardiac arrest occurs. But for many, the first sign of CHD is chest pain, which is called angina. The pain from angina, which usually lasts for 2 to 15 minutes, may occur behind your breastbone or down your left shoulder and arm or up your neck. It may feel like something is squeezing
Introduction to heart disease The heart is like any other muscle, requiring blood to supply oxygen and nutrients for it to function. The heart’s needs are provided by the coronary arteries, which begin at the base of the aorta and spread across the surface of the heart, branching out to all areas of the heart muscle. The coronary arteries are at risk for narrowing as cholesterol deposits, called plaques, build up inside the artery. If the arteries narrow enough, blood supply to the heart muscle may be compromised (slowed down), and this slowing of blood flow to the heart causes pain, or angina. A heart attack or myocardial infarction occurs when a plaque ruptures, allowing a blood clot to form. This completely obstructs the artery, stopping blood flow to part of the heart muscle, and that portion of muscle dies.
