Heart disease symptoms & warning signs

The phrase heart disease or cardiovascular disease can be overwhelming because it can describe several different conditions that affect the function and health of your heart. Heart attack and coronary artery disease are the most common kinds of heart disease. And heart disease is the main killer of both men and women in the U.S.

At Aurora, we’re well known for our expertise in heart disease diagnosis and treatment. We can help you learn which heart disease symptoms you may be experiencing and how to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Common symptoms of heart disease

While symptoms vary by person and by type of heart disease, some common symptoms to look out for include:

• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Dizziness, feeling faint or lightheaded
• Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Swelling in your ankles, feet or abdomen

Chest pain is another common symptom associated with many heart diseases. Chest pain associated with heart disease has been described as creating a feeling of heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, tightness or discomfort.

Symptoms of heart attack

In the U.S., someone suffers a heart attack every 40 seconds.

Some people have severe signs of a heart attack, while others have milder ones. And some people don’t have any at all.

Heart attack symptoms can differ from person to person. Common symptoms of heart attack can include shortness of breath, cold sweating, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and a rapid or irregular heartbeat (also called arrhythmia).

If you suspect you or a loved one may be having a heart attack, call 911 for immediate medical attention. The faster you’re able to get medical help, the greater the chance you will come out with less permanent damage to your heart.

Symptoms of coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when a buildup of plaque in your blood vessels blocks the flow of blood to your heart. According to the CDC, coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease, affecting about 7.2% of adults ages 20 and older.

Symptoms of coronary artery disease can take years to develop, and some people experience few to no symptoms. Sometimes, you may not know you have CAD until you experience a heart attack as your first symptom.

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy (diseased heart muscle)

Cardiomyopathy causes the heart to become weaker and may be genetically inherited or caused by other health conditions. There are several different types of cardiomyopathy and you may not experience any symptoms in the beginning of the heart disease.

As cardiomyopathy develops in the heart, it can lead to other dangerous heart conditions. Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, light-headedness and heart murmur.

Valvular heart disease symptoms

Heart valve disease occurs when one of the four heart valves does not function properly. This can be present at birth, caused by aging, triggered by other infections or by other types of heart disease. In the U.S., about 2% of the population is affected by heart valve disease.

The most common symptoms of valvular heart disease include an irregular heartbeat or heart murmur. But you may also experience general symptoms associated with heart disease such as fatigue, fever, shortness of breath or rapid weight gain.

Symptoms of peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when a blockage in your arteries reduces the amount of blood flow to other parts of your body, especially your legs.

While many people experience few symptoms, the most common symptom of peripheral artery disease is cramping in the leg or buttocks that may subside with rest. Other leg symptoms include numbness, weakness, a reddish or bluish color, sores that don’t heal normally, or one leg that is cooler than the other. Toes can become cold or numb and can burn or ache when at rest.

Heart disease symptoms caused by heart defects

Congenital heart disease describes one or more heart defects present since birth. It can cause few to no symptoms, which is why it can be diagnosed as a child, teen or an adult.

Some symptoms associated with congenital heart disease are bluish color lips or fingernails, shortness of breath and tiring quickly with exercise.

Who is at risk for heart disease?

There are many factors to account for in determining the risk of heart disease including lifestyle, age and family history of heart disease. Three key risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking. According to the CDC, in the U.S., nearly 47% of people have at least one of the top three risk factors.

High blood cholesterol and high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) can present few to no symptoms. Scheduling routine checkups with your primary care physician is important for this reason. They can check your blood pressure and look for other signs of heart disease that may otherwise go undetected.

Other risk factors for heart disease include:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Family history of heart disease
• Unhealthy diets
• Excessive alcohol use

We offer heart scans – quick and inexpensive tests to determine your risk of developing heart disease. A simple heart scan could prevent a heart attack – and it may even save your life. Learn more about our $49 heart scans.

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz