Heart Disease Symptoms

The term heart disease is a very general term that covers all sorts of diseases and conditions of the heart ranging from heart valve disorder to coronary heart disease to high cholesterol to arrhythmia to hypertension and more. Knowing some of the symptoms of these conditions can help you counter them and prevent a heart attack.

Angina is often the first symptom of heart disease. Angina pectoris is a heaviness, tightness or pain in the chest. It often increases in severity with exertion and usually feels better after a rest. Other symptoms of angina include sweating, weakness or nausea. A dull, achy feeling in the neck or down the arm, usually the left arm, may accompany chest pain or may be a symptom on its own.

High cholesterol is another warning sign for heart disease. High cholesterol occurs when the arteries become clogged with deposits of cholesterol, scar tissue, plaque or calcium. With these deposits blocking the arteries, the heart has to work harder at pumping and circulating blood. Symptoms of clogged arteries can be anything from chest pains to heart failure or even a heart attack.

Another common heart problem is aortic valve disease. Symptoms of aortic valve disease are shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. These symptoms may be accompanied by angina--chest pain or a heart murmur.

Arrhythmia heart disease is an irregularity in the heart's beating rhythm. Tachycardia is the condition when your heart beats too fast. When it is too slow, it is called bradycardia. A sign of arrhythmia is an irregular heart beat such as skipping a beat or extra beats.

If you ever suspect that you are feeling heart disease symptoms, make note of it and perhaps you do some research. If the symptoms lead you to suspect any type of heart disease, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Tell your doctor about all of the symptoms you felt. This will give your doctor a place to start looking. Keep in mind though that the very early stages of heart disease have no symptoms. If you start to feel symptoms of heart disease, do not put off visiting the doctor for a checkup. If the symptoms are severe, call 911 immediately or have someone take you to the emergency room without delay.

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