Heart Symptoms

Below you'll find lists of the most common heart symptoms.

Symptoms of Coronary Artery or Heart Disease

Coronary artery disease is often called CAD, coronary heart disease, or simply heart disease. It occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart (coronary arteries).

Plaque consists of cholesterol, calcium or similar substances which adhere to the artery walls. When a sufficient amount builds up, it blocks the flow of blood to the heart, reducing the heart's efficiency and sometimes triggering a heart attack (see below),

The most common symptoms of coronary artery disease are

• Angina, or chest pain. Sometimes the pain spreads to other parts of the body including arms, back, jaw, neck, or shoulders.
• A faster heart rate or heart palpitations.
• A general feeling of fatigue and/or weakness.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Shortness of breath.
• Sweating, abnormal perspiration.

Heart Attack Symptoms 

As mentioned above, a heart attack or myocardial infarction, occurs when the flow of blood in one or more arteries around the heart (coronary arteries) is blocked. Without sufficient blood, heart muscle can die or become severely damaged.

Heart attacks kill more men and women in the United States than any other cause.

Initial symptoms can start as a mild discomfort that progresses to significant pain. Some people have a heart attack without having any symptoms (a "silent" MI). :

Angina is a type of chest pain,  feeling of fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes. This pain may spread (radiate) to other parts of the upper body, notably arms, back, jaw, neck, or shoulders. The pain may be vary from mild to very intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning, or heavy weight.

• Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
• Faster, possibly irregular heartbeat or palpitations.
• Feeling of impending doom.
• Lightheadedness or fainting.
• Paleness or pallor.
• Shortness of breath, or labored breathing in which the person feels as if they can't draw in enough air.
• Unusual perspiration.

Sometimes symptoms fade away and then return later, and not all of these signs occur in every episode. 

Symptoms of Arrhythmias

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. These are dangerous because they can cause the heart to pump ineffectively, resulting in poor blood flow to the rest of the body. Symptoms include:

• Chest discomfort.
• Dizziness or light-headedness.
• Fainting.
• Heart palpitations.
• A pounding sensation in the chest.
• Shortness of breath, difficulty or labored breathing.

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation, also referred to as AF, is a form of arrhythmia. Some patients with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms.

Those who have symptoms might experience any of the following:

• Chest discomfort, including pain or a feeling of pressure.
• A general feeling of fatigue or lack of energy.
• Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting.
• Heart palpitations.
• Shortness of breath.

Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease

There are several forms of heart valve disease. Basically, heart valve disease occurs when the valves separating the chambers of the heart don't work properly, causing blood to flow incorrectly to the heart, lungs and body.

Symptoms of heart valve disease are similar to those of other heart problems, and may include:

Shortness of breath. Some people describe this by saying, "I just can't seem to catch my breath. This is most noticeable during normal daily activities, but also frequently occurs when the person lies down flat in bed.

• Weakness or dizziness.
• Chest pain, pressure, or discomfort.
• Palpitations.

If valve disease causes heart failure, symptoms may include:

• Swelling of your ankles or feet. Swelling may also occur in your abdomen, which may cause you to feel bloated.
• Quick weight gain (a weight gain of two or three pounds in one day is possible).

Someone can have serious heart valve disease without noticing any symptoms at . On the other hand, some forms, especially a type called mitral valve prolapse, have pronounced symptoms even though tests may show that the problem to be relatively minor.

Symptoms of Heart Failure

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart becomes progressively damaged, compromising the flow of blood to tissues throughout the body.

Symptoms of heart failure can include:

• Angina
• Arrhythmias (irregular, often increased heart rate and palpitations).
• Cough that produces a white mucus.
• Dizziness.
• Fatigue and weakness.

Shortness of breath, not only during activity but even when the person is at rest. It can be especially noticeable when lying down flat in bed.

• Swelling in ankles, legs, and abdomen.
• Unusually fast weight gain.

As with heart valve disease, symptoms of heart may bear little relation to how weak the heart has become. You may have several obvious symptoms although heart function has been only mildly weakened. Or, there could be few symptoms although the heart may already be severely impaired.