Signs of Heart Problems

Common Signs of Heart Problems

Heart problems can be arranged in five main categories. They are Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Attack, Heart Rythm Disorders, Heart Valve Disease, and Heart Muscle Disease. Each of these can have similar but different symptoms.

Coronary artery disease or CAD, is the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries of the heart. This process is called atherosclerosis. CAD is also sometimes called hardening of the arteries. Signs of CAD can include chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and weakness, or fatigue.

A heart attack or myocardial infarction, is permenent heart damage. This damage is caused by lack of oxygen to the heart muscle itself, in one form or another. Signs of a heart attack include angina, indiguestion that may feel like heartburn or a kind of fullness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, and a rapid or irregular heart beat. Angina can be pain or discomfort in the chest, arm, back, jaw, throat, or below the breast bone.

Heart rythm disorders are heart problems that cause an irregular heartbeat, known as arrhythmia. The most common is Atrial Fibrillation. Signs of heart rythm disorders include palpitations, irregular pulse, shortness of breath, especially during exertion, weakness or fatigue, dizziness or confusion, fainting, and angina.

Heart valve disease occurs when the heart valves do not open and close as they should. There are several types. Valvular stenosis is when the valve opening is too small making the heart work harder to pump blood through it. Valvular insufficiency is when the valve does not close tightly. It is also called regurgitaion, or leaky valve. Sometimes blood can actually escape the valve and flow backwards.

Heart muscle disease also called cardiomyopathy, is when the heart becomes enlarged, stiffened, or thickened. This can have very adverse effects on the heart's ability to pump blood. Signs of cardiomyopathy can include weight gain, weakness, swelling of the legs and feet, fainting, heart palpitations, anginga, dizziness, or lightheadedness, and blood clots.