Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease

Different people experience different symptoms. In some cases, people may not have symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) at all before they are diagnosed.

Angina

Chest pain or discomfort (angina) is the most common symptom. You feel this pain when the heart is not getting enough blood or oxygen. How bad the pain is varies from person to person.

It can be a mild, uncomfortable feeling that is similar to indigestion. However, a severe angina attack may feel heavy or like someone is squeezing your heart. You usually feel it in the centre of the chest, but the feeling may also spread to the arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach.

Angina is often triggered by physical activity or stressful situations. The symptoms usually pass in less than 10 minutes and can be relieved by resting or using a nitrate tablet or spray.

Heart Attacks

Figure A shows a heart with dead heart muscle caused by a heart attack. Figure B is a cross-section of a coronary artery with plaque buildup and a blood clot. - http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartattack/

A heart attack occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked. If blood flow isn't restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. And if not treated immediately, it may be fatal.

The discomfort or pain of a heart attack is similar to that of angina but it is often more severe. During a heart attack you may also experience the following symptoms:

• sweating
• light-headedness
• nausea
• breathlessness

The symptoms of a heart attack can be similar to indigestion. For example, they may include a feeling of heaviness in your chest, a stomach ache or heartburn. A heart attack can happen at any time, including while you are resting. If heart pains last longer than 15 minutes, it may be the start of a heart attack.

Unlike angina, the symptoms of a heart attack are not usually relieved using a nitrate tablet or spray.

Heart Failure

Heart failure can occur in people with CHD. The heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body, which can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Heart failure can happen suddenly (acute heart failure) or gradually, over time (chronic heart failure).

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Signs to decide when to seek Medical Care:

• Chest pain, pressure or feeling of indigestion after physical exertion, which may or may not be relieved by rest 
• Shoulder or arm pain involving left, right, or both sides during physical or mentally stressful activity 
• Jaw pain, unexplained by another cause, like a sore tooth 
• Shortness of breath after exertion or walking uphill 
• Fainting spell 
• Pain in the upper part of your abdomen 
• Unexplained nausea vomiting, or sweating
• Palpitations or dizziness

Sources : 

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/coronary-heart-disease/overview.html

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/heartattack/

Posted in: Heart Disease