Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFrequent SymptomsBy ConditionComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderWhen to Go to the HospitalFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Heart Disease GuideHow Heart Disease Is Treated

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Frequent Symptoms

By Condition

Complications

When to See a Healthcare Provider

When to Go to the Hospital

Frequently Asked Questions

Next in Heart Disease Guide

There are many different kinds ofheart disease, and while each can produce its own set of symptoms, there are some key ones that many types share. These frequent symptoms include chest pain or discomfort, palpitations, lightheadedness or dizziness, fainting, fatigue, and shortness of breath. However, sometimes heart disease has no symptoms at all, especially if it’s in the early stages.

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heart disease symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms most frequently found in many types of heart disease:

Chest Pain or Discomfort

Few symptoms are more alarming than chest pain, and whilemany other conditions can cause chest pain, cardiac disease is so common—and so dangerous—that this symptom should never be dismissed or considered insignificant.

Chest pain is an imprecise term. It’s often used to describe any pain, pressure, squeezing, choking, numbness, or other discomforts in the chest, neck, or upper abdomen, and it’s often also associated with pain in the jaw, head, shoulders, or arms.

Depending on its cause, chest pain may last from less than a second to days or weeks; might occur frequently or rarely; and might occur completely randomly or under predictable circumstances. Sorting through these variations can help your healthcare provider determine the actual cause of your chest discomfort, in particular, whether it represents angina or some other serious problem.

Palpitations

Noticeable differences in your heartbeat, whether that means it’s rapid, unusually strong, or irregular, are classified aspalpitations. They are an extremely common symptom of heart disease.

Most people with palpitations have some type ofcardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm. There are many types of arrhythmias, and almost all can cause palpitations. The most common causes of palpitations arepremature atrial complexes (PACs),premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), episodes ofatrial fibrillation, and episodes ofsupraventricular tachycardia(SVT).

Lightheadedness or Dizziness

Episodes oflightheadednessordizzinesscan have many causes includinganemia(low blood count) and other blood disorders; dehydration; viral illnesses; prolonged bed rest;diabetes;thyroid disease; gastrointestinal disturbances; liver disease; kidney disease; vascular disease; neurological disorders;dysautonomias; vasovagal episodes;heart failure; and cardiac arrhythmias.

Fatigue, Lethargy, or Daytime Sleepiness

Fatigue, lethargy, and somnolence (daytimesleepiness) are very common symptoms. Fatigue or lethargy can be thought of as tiredness, exhaustion, or loss of enthusiasm that makes it difficult to function at your normal level. Somnolence implies that you either crave sleep or, worse, that you find yourself suddenly asleep during the daytime, a condition known asnarcolepsy.

While fatigue and lethargy can be symptoms of heart disease (particularly heart failure), these common and non-specific symptoms can also be due to disorders of virtually any otherorgan systemin the body. If you suffer from fatigue or lethargy, you need a general medical evaluation in order to begin pinning down a specific cause.

Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath)

Dyspnea, the medical term for shortness of breath, is most often a symptom of cardiac or pulmonary (lung) disorders. Heart failure andcoronary artery diseasefrequently produce shortness of breath among othersymptoms. If you haveheart failure, you may commonly experience dyspnea with exertion, ororthopnea, which is dyspnea when lying flat. You may also suddenly wake up at night gasping for breath, a condition known asparoxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. Other cardiac conditions such asheart valve diseaseorpericardial diseasecan produce dyspnea, as can cardiac arrhythmias.

Syncope (Fainting/Loss of Consciousness)

Syncopeis a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness or fainting. It’s a common symptom (most people pass out at least once in their lives) and often does not indicate a serious medical problem. However, sometimes syncope indicates a dangerous or even life-threatening condition, so it’s important to figure out the cause.

These are the symptoms that are common to some of the major types of heart disease, including atherosclerotic disease, cardiac arrhythmias, heart valve disease, heart infections, and heart failure.

Atherosclerotic Disease

Cardiac Arrhythmias

While many people with cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats) have no symptoms whatsoever, any type of arrhythmia has the potential to produce palpitations, weakness, or lightheadedness.

Other symptoms can include:

Heart Valve Disease

Symptoms of heart valve disease depend on which of the four valves isn’t working right, but they can include:

Heart Infections

If you have an infection in your heart, symptoms may include:

Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart becomes unable to pump blood sufficiently to meet the body’s needs. It is a consequence of many different types of heart disease. In its early stages heart failure may not produce any symptoms. As it gets worse, the most prominent symptoms are shortness of breath (dyspnea) when exerting yourself and/or when you’re resting, becoming easily fatigued, and an irregular heartbeat that may feel fast or like it’s pounding.

Potential complications of heart disease illustrate the importance of getting treatment and living a healthy lifestyle. They include:

If you have a family history of heart disease or you’re worried about your risk for developing it, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider. Staying proactive where your heart health is concerned can help you detect any problems early, giving you a better potential outcome.

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You need to seek emergency treatment if you have any of these symptoms:

Chest Pain

Chest pain should always be considered a serious symptom because it can indicate an emergency situation. If you’re experiencing chest pain and any of these factors apply to you, you should seek emergency care:

Heart Attack Symptoms

If you have symptoms of a heart attack, be sure to seek emergency medical care. These symptoms include:

Stroke Symptoms

If you have symptoms of a stroke, you need to seek emergency medical care. These include:

If you’re with a loved one and suspect he or she is having a stroke, use these measures to help you determine if there’s a problem:

Call 911 immediately if any of the above symptoms occur. With a stroke, every minute counts. The longer your loved one goes without blood to his or her brain, the more damage there can be.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

A sudden cardiac arrest is dramatic, happens fast, and can result in death if it’s not treated immediately. If a loved one has these symptoms, call 911 right away:

Frequently Asked QuestionsHeart disease can often be silent and may not have any noticeable symptoms. In some people, the first sign of heart disease is a heart attack. When warning signs do appear, they may include chest pain or discomfort, heart palpitations, lightheadedness or dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.In women, heart disease is often overlooked, in part because the symptoms can differ from the typical ones seen in men. While some women have no symptoms, other women experience chest pain; pain in the neck, jaw, or throat; pain in the upper abdomen or back; nausea; vomiting; and fatigue.

Heart disease can often be silent and may not have any noticeable symptoms. In some people, the first sign of heart disease is a heart attack. When warning signs do appear, they may include chest pain or discomfort, heart palpitations, lightheadedness or dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

In women, heart disease is often overlooked, in part because the symptoms can differ from the typical ones seen in men. While some women have no symptoms, other women experience chest pain; pain in the neck, jaw, or throat; pain in the upper abdomen or back; nausea; vomiting; and fatigue.

16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Heart attack.American Heart Association.What is an arrhythmia?American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.Malik A, Brito D, Chhabra L.Congestive heart failure. In:StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls PublishingKoene RJ, Adkisson WO, Benditt DG.Syncope and the risk of sudden cardiac death: evaluation, management, and prevention.J Arrhythm. 2017;33(6):533-544. doi:10.1016/j.joa.2017.07.005American Heart Association.What is atherosclerosis?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Arrhythmias.American Heart Association.Symptoms of heart valve disease.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart inflammation.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart failure.American Heart Association.What is cardiovascular disease?Cleveland Clinic.Early warning signs of a heart attack.American Heart Association.What is peripheral artery disease?American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and heart disease.

16 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Heart attack.American Heart Association.What is an arrhythmia?American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.Malik A, Brito D, Chhabra L.Congestive heart failure. In:StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls PublishingKoene RJ, Adkisson WO, Benditt DG.Syncope and the risk of sudden cardiac death: evaluation, management, and prevention.J Arrhythm. 2017;33(6):533-544. doi:10.1016/j.joa.2017.07.005American Heart Association.What is atherosclerosis?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Arrhythmias.American Heart Association.Symptoms of heart valve disease.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart inflammation.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart failure.American Heart Association.What is cardiovascular disease?Cleveland Clinic.Early warning signs of a heart attack.American Heart Association.What is peripheral artery disease?American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and heart disease.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Heart attack.American Heart Association.What is an arrhythmia?American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.Malik A, Brito D, Chhabra L.Congestive heart failure. In:StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls PublishingKoene RJ, Adkisson WO, Benditt DG.Syncope and the risk of sudden cardiac death: evaluation, management, and prevention.J Arrhythm. 2017;33(6):533-544. doi:10.1016/j.joa.2017.07.005American Heart Association.What is atherosclerosis?National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Arrhythmias.American Heart Association.Symptoms of heart valve disease.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart inflammation.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart failure.American Heart Association.What is cardiovascular disease?Cleveland Clinic.Early warning signs of a heart attack.American Heart Association.What is peripheral artery disease?American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and heart disease.

National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Heart attack.

American Heart Association.What is an arrhythmia?

American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.

Malik A, Brito D, Chhabra L.Congestive heart failure. In:StatPearls[Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing

Koene RJ, Adkisson WO, Benditt DG.Syncope and the risk of sudden cardiac death: evaluation, management, and prevention.J Arrhythm. 2017;33(6):533-544. doi:10.1016/j.joa.2017.07.005

American Heart Association.What is atherosclerosis?

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Arrhythmias.

American Heart Association.Symptoms of heart valve disease.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart inflammation.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart failure.

American Heart Association.What is cardiovascular disease?

Cleveland Clinic.Early warning signs of a heart attack.

American Heart Association.What is peripheral artery disease?

American Stroke Association.Stroke symptoms.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Women and heart disease.

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