Heart disease can produce a number of different symptoms depending on which kind of heart disease a person is afflicted by. As well, the severity of your heart condition plays a role as well. It is important to be aware of what the symptoms of heart disease are and to take action as soon as you recognize them in yourself or another person.



The most commonly noted coronary heart disease symptoms include angina (an uncomfortable, feeling of pressure or squeezing in the heart), shortness of breath, a quickening heartbeat, palpitations, dizziness or weakness, sweating and nauseas.

The symptoms of a heart attack (otherwise known as myocardial infarction or simply MI) include pain in the chest area or the arm or the area below the breastbone, or else a feeling of discomfort, heaviness or pressure; discomfort that is in the back and continues up into the jaw area, throat or arm; a feeling of fullness, or choking that might mimic heartburn; dizziness, vomiting, sweating and/or a feeling of nausea; shortness of breath accompanied by a strong sense of weakness; and rapid or irregular beats of the heart.

The most common symptoms of arrhythmias include fatigue or weakness; shortness of breath; discomfort in the chest area; fainting; dizziness or a feeling of being lightheaded; a feeling of your heart pounding in your chest and palpitations (or skipped heartbeats). One form of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AF) and the most noted symptoms of this heart condition include a lack of energy or feeling of extreme fatigue; feeling faint; discomfort, pain or pressure in the chest area; heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

The most common symptoms of heart valve disease include dizziness; shortness of breath; pressure or discomfort in the chest area; and palpitations. If heart valve disease is left untreated and leads to heart failure then the ankles, abdomen or feet may swell and the person might notice a rapid weight gain (sometimes as much as one to two pounds per day).

When it comes to heart failure, the symptoms include shortness of breath when a person is being active or in some cases, when their body is at rest; rapid weight gain; dizziness; weakness or excessive tiredness; a cough that produces white mucus; swelling in the areas of the belly, ankles or legs; nausea; pain and pressure in the chest area; heart palpitations; and finally either a rapid or an irregular heartbeat.

The symptoms of congenital heart disease when diagnosed in babies and children include fast breathing; poor feeding; an inability to put on weight; constant infections of the lungs; cyanosis (which is a bluish tint that appears on the lips, fingernails and skin) and the inability to exercise for any length of time. When this disease is diagnosed in childhood or adulthood it may show some or all of the below symptoms or in some case, no symptoms at all. These symptoms include a shortness of breath, a limited ability to engage in physical activity and the symptoms of heart failure or heart valve disease.

The symptoms of cardiomyopathy include pain or pressure in the chest; swelling in the legs, ankles or feet, fainting, extreme fatigue, palpitations and the symptoms of heart failure. Pericarditis will show the symptoms of pain in the chest, a quickening heart rate and a low-grade fever.