Symptoms And Types of Heart Disease

Heart disease relates to a number of diseases that affect the heart. It is a major cause of death in the United States. Symptoms include:

• Discomfort in the upper body


• Shortness of breath


• Nausea


• Jaw pain


• Left wrist and arm pain


• Numbness or tingling


• Chest pain

With each type of heart disease comes its own set of signs and symptoms. The term heart disease refers to narrowing of the coronary arteries. Non-treatment can cause death. In order to take quick action in the event of a heart attack, it is necessary to become educated on the signs and symptoms.

Coronary Artery Disease: Is caused due to the blockage of arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. The blockage is mainly due to atherosclerotic plaque lining the inner walls of the blood vessels. This heart disease presents in the form of severe chest pain, heart attack, chest discomfort, aching and burning within the chest cavity, uneasiness in the left shoulder, arms and back, difficulty breathing, sweating, indigestion, nausea, and/or irregular heart beats. In the case of women, a burning sensation in the upper abdomen is felt along with the other symptoms.

Cardiomyopathy: Is due to a decline in the function of the heart muscle. The symptoms include shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, abnormal heart rhythms, swelling in the legs, tender liver and arrhythmia. The symptoms differ slightly according to the type of cardiomyopathy. The different types include alcoholic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, hypertensive cardiomyopathy, valvular cardiomyopathy, cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Cardiovascular Disease: Refers to specific diseases that affect the complex blood vessel system within the heart. Research reveals that while most women suffer from cardiovascular diseases that affect the blood vessel system, men suffer from implications within the heart muscle. The symptoms of this heart disease include central chest pain, pain in the shoulders and/or arms, sweating, nausea, palpitations, sudden loss of vision, severe headache and swelling of lower extremities.

Ischemic Heart Disease: Results are due to reduced blood supply to the organ. The signs and symptoms include pain in the central chest region and left arm, tautness in the chest, sweating, and thickening of the Achilles Tendon.

Heart Failure: In the case of a congestive heart failure or CHF, the damage is caused due to functional cardiac impairment. The heart failure could either be systolic or diastolic. The signs include shortness of breath, fatigue, nocturnal urination and swelling of the liver and subsequent abnormality in liver functions.

Hypertensive Heart Disease: Is caused by increased blood pressure that is localized in nature. The disease shows up in the form of related left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary heart disease, hypertensive cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrhythmias.

Inflammatory Heart Disease: Inflammatory heart disease is caused due to the inflammation of the heart muscle or surrounding tissue. The disease exhibits as inflammation of the endocardium and heart valves, inflammatory cardiomegaly, and inflammation of the heart muscles.

Valvular Heart Disease: Valvular heart disease affects the heart valves; tricuspid, pulmonic, mitral, and aortic. The symptoms include fatigue, palpitations, chest pain, sudden bout of coughing, shift in blood pressure, shortness of breath and swollen feet.

If you or anyone you know has signs or symptoms related to any of the above heart diseases, it is of tantamount importance to consult with a physician for care and treatment. In the case of an emergency, call 911 immediately to receive emergency medical care. Time is of the essence. The longer symptoms are allowed to fester without medical treatment, the more extensive damage is likely to occur. This could result in an untimely death of the victim that could have been prevented. Contact your local Red Cross for information on CPR classes. You could be the one to save a life if you are called upon for help.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT