Signs of Heart Trouble

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Signs of Heart Trouble

Posted: April 1, 2007

The warning signs of a heart attack can include:

Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain. Heart attack pain can sometimes feel like indigestion or heartburn.
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain, discomfort, or numbness in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
Other symptoms: Breaking out in a cold sweat, having nausea and vomiting or feeling lightheaded or dizzy.

Signs and symptoms vary from person to person. In fact, if you have a second heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same as the first heart attack. Some people have no symptoms. This is called a "silent" heart attack.

The symptoms of angina – chest pain due to a lack of oxygen to the heart – can be similar to those of a heart attack. If you have angina and notice a change or a worsening of your symptoms, talk with your doctor right away.

Know the warning signs of a heart attack so you can act fast to get treatment. Many heart attack victims wait two hours or more after their symptoms begin before they seek medical help. This delay can result in death or lasting heart damage.

If you think you may be having a heart attack, or if your angina pain does not go away as usual when you take your angina medicine as directed, call 911 for help. You can begin to receive life-saving treatment in the ambulance on the way to an emergency room.

Heart disease
Heart disease often has no symptoms. But, there are some signs to watch for. Chest or arm pain or discomfort can be a symptom of heart disease and a warning sign of a heart attack. Shortness of breath (feeling like you can't get enough air), dizziness, nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), abnormal heartbeats, swelling in the legs and feet, leg pain with walking that stops when at rest, or feeling very tired also can be signs.

Tell your doctor if:

You have ever been told that you have high blood pressure, diabetes (also called high blood sugar) or high cholesterol.
Anyone in your family has had a heart attack or stroke.
You are having symptoms. Tell your doctor what symptoms you’ve had, when they began, how often they happen, and whether they are getting better, worse or staying the same. Keeping a diary of your symptoms will help you keep track of them and help you talk about them with your doctor. Bring your diary with you to your visit.

Swelling (edema) in the legs and feet
Many people have leg swelling from causes other than heart disease. However, the collection of fluid in your legs can be a warning sign of heart problems. This is especially true if you have other symptoms, such as shortness of breath. You may have swelling in your abdomen, too. Tell your health care provider if your legs, ankles or feet have become swollen.

Pain in the legs with walking (claudication)
Pain that occurs in the calf muscles when you walk can be a sign of heart and blood vessel disease. This type of pain happens only with activity and stops a minute or two after you stop the activity. It occurs when your muscles are not getting enough oxygen because of blocked arteries. Blocked leg arteries may mean there are also blockages in the heart (coronary) arteries.

High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol
These are both warning signs of possible heart problems. You usually cannot tell if you have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol without measuring your blood pressure or testing your blood. Both measurements can be done at health checkups. Discuss with your doctor how often your blood pressure and cholesterol needs to be checked.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

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