Symptoms of Heart Disease – Part 2

During a heart attack, symptoms can last about 30 minutes or longer and aren’t relieved by rest. Sometimes the symptoms start out quickly and painfully and at other times they may begin with mild discomfort and progress to significant pain. No symptoms of heart disease are the same in any one person. In fact, the symptoms of a heart attack can be different for one person if they have more than one event.

Arrhythmias are when the electrical stimulation in your heart isn’t stable. You may feel palpitations, pounding in your chest, dizziness or light headed because your heart isn’t efficiently pumping oxygen to your brain causing fainting, shortness of breath, chest discomfort or fatigue.

Symptoms of heart disease also include atrial fibrillation which is a particular type of arrhythmia. Most people who are experiencing atrial fibrillation will feel heart palpitations, lack of energy, dizziness, chest pain and shortness of breath.

Symptoms of congestive heart failure are included in symptoms of heart disease because they are integral to heart disease. Congestive heart failure can be caused by an over worked heart that can happen with high blood pressure or if a patient has had a previous heart attack. Symptoms will include shortness of breath, a cough that produces white mucus, a quick weight gain of 2-4 pounds in one day is possible from fluid, swelling ankles, fatigue and chest pain.

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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