Coronary artery disease, heart attack – each type of heart disease has different symptoms, although many heart problems have similar warning signs. The symptomsyou experience depend on the type and severity of your heart condition. Learn to recognize your symptoms and the situations that cause them. Call your doctor if youbegin to have new symptoms or if they become more frequent or severe. Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease
The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness,squeezing, or painful feeling in your chest. It can be mistaken for indigestion orheartburn. Angina is usually felt in the chest, but may also be felt in the shoulders, arms,neck, throat, jaw, or back.
- Other symptoms of coronary artery disease include:
- Shortness of breath
- Palpitations (irregular heart beats, skipped beats, or a “flip-flop” feeling in yourchest)
- A faster heartbeat
- Weakness or dizziness
- Nausea
- SweatingSymptoms of a Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction or MI)
- Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below thebreastbone
- Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm
- Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn)
- Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness
- Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath
- Rapid or irregular heartbeats
During a heart attack, symptoms typically last 30 minutes or longer and are not relievedby rest or oral medications (medications taken by mouth). Initial symptoms can start as amild discomfort that progresses to significant pain.
Some people have a heart attack without having any symptoms (a “silent” MI). A silentMI can occur among all people, though it occurs more often among diabetics.
If you think you are having a heart attack, DO NOT DELAY. Call for emergency help(dial 911 inmost areas). Immediate treatment of a heart attack is very important to lessenthe amount of damage to your heart.