Symptoms of Heart Disease – Part 1

Heart disease. It makes the news at least once a week. The doctor talks about it with anyone over 35. It can be scary if you don’t know the facts. So what are the symptoms of heart disease?

There are several types of heart disease so symptoms will obviously be different for each; coronary artery disease, heart attack, arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease or congestive heart failure. The symptoms of heart disease are different depending upon the severity and type of your heart condition. You can learn to recognize the symptoms and the situations that cause them. You are your first line of defense against heart disease. Your doctor will only be able to help you if you know to call!

Symptoms of heart disease in coronary artery disease is commonly angina. Angina is caused from the heart getting a decreased amount of oxygen. Imagine that you might have a muscle that isn’t getting enough oxygen. The muscle will decrease the efficiency of it’s work. For the heart, that means that you’ll feel shortness of breath as blood isn’t pumped efficient through the lungs, and pain in the chest, shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back.

Symptoms of heart disease and coronary artery disease can also include palpitations, a fast heartbeat, weakness or dizziness, nausea and sweating. These are symptoms that can come before a heart attack or myocardial infarction. Symptoms of heart disease and myocardial infarction (heart attack) are more intense symptoms related to coronary artery disease – discomfort pressure or heaviness in the chest or arm; discomfort radiating to the back, jaw or throat; feelings of fullness, indigestion or choking like heartburn; sweating, nausea and vomiting; extreme weakness and anxiety; or rapid irregular heart rate.

Resources:

MayoClinic: Heart Disease in Women

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00040

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What are the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hdw/signs.html

American Heart Association: What are the Signs of Heart Disease

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/What-are-the-signs-of-heart-disease_UCM_441089_Article.jsp

American Heart Association: Heart Attack Symptoms in Women

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Heart-Attack-Symptoms-in-Women_UCM_436448_Article.jsp

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Signs and Symptoms

http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/signs_symptoms.htm

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