Heart Symptoms
Dr. Barsky cares for patients experiencing heart related symptoms by offering advanced diagnostic testing and unrivaled treatment options. If you encounter any of the following symptoms, it is critical that you have your condition evaluated, as early intervention can be life-saving, and, in many cases, slow the progression of a serious heart condition.
IMPORTANT — If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1.
Chest pain or discomfort
Angina can feel like pressure, squeezing, burning, or tightness during physical activity. The pain or discomfort usually starts behind the breastbone, but it can also occur in the arms, shoulders, jaw, throat, or back. The pain may feel like indigestion.
Fainting and lightheadedness
Low blood pressure, an enlarged or weakened heart, damage to the heart muscle, or a valve disorder can all lead to fainting, and getting an accurate diagnosis is an urgent matter. Lightheadedness may be a symptom of heart disease, stroke, or a heart attack. Most often, this is a serious symptom if accompanied by chest pain, nausea, arm pain, back pain, or jaw pain.
Fatigued or exhausted easily
A constant feeling of fatigue can be a symptom of a heart condition or coronary artery disease. Fatigue and exhaustion often accompany other more specific heart issues.
Irregular heartbeat
Heart palpitations can be caused by an arrhythmia, a heart defect, or another heart problem that requires treatment. A slow heartbeat is called “bradycardia” and could indicate that your heart is unable to supply enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. Additionally, an irregular heartbeat may be a symptom that your heart’s electrical system is not functioning correctly.
Nausea, indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain
These symptoms may appear during a heart attack, along with pressure, tightness in the chest, and pains spreading to the neck, jaw, or back.
Problems with vision or speech
Cardiovascular disease can trigger vision and speech problems. A sudden symptom of impaired ability to speak or vision impairment could indicate you are suffering a stroke or other heart-related condition.
Radiating pain on the left side of your body
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. The discomfort usually lasts for more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It also can feel like heartburn or indigestion. The feeling can be mild or severe.
Shortness of breath
This may be your only symptom, or it may occur before or along with chest pain or discomfort. It can occur when you are resting or doing a little bit of physical activity.
Swollen feet, legs, and ankles
Edema, or swelling in the feet, legs, and ankles, can be a sign that your heart is having difficulties pumping. When this happens, blood flow backs up in the leg veins, causing fluid buildup in the tissues.
Throat or jaw pain
A painful sensation in your jaw, like a toothache, can be a symptom of a heart attack. Women often experience this symptom during a heart attack, occurring on the lower left side of the jaw.
Trouble breathing
The early stages of heart failure may present by a noticeable change in your breathing when moving about, exercising, or even when at rest.
Upper body discomfort
You may feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button).
Heart symptom definitions provided by National Institutes of Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH/ NHLBI) and mayoclinic.org