Symptoms of coronary heart disease
If your coronary arteries become partially blocked, it can cause chest pain (angina). If they become completely blocked, it can cause a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
Some people experience different symptoms, including palpitations and unusual breathlessness. In some cases, people may not have symptoms of coronary heart disease (CHD) at all before they are diagnosed.
Angina
Angina is a symptom of CHD. It can be a mild, uncomfortable feeling that is similar to indigestion. However, a severe angina attack can cause a feeling of heaviness or tightness, usually in the centre of the chest, which may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach.
Angina is often triggered by physical activity or stressful situations. The symptoms usually pass in less than 10 minutes and can be relieved by resting or using a nitrate tablet or spray.
Heart attacks
Heart attacks can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle and, if not treated straight away, can be fatal.
If you think you are having a heart attack, dial 999 for immediate medical assistance.
The discomfort or pain of a heart attack is similar to that of angina but it is often more severe. During a heart attack you may also experience the following symptoms:
- sweating
- light-headedness
- nausea
- breathlessness
The symptoms of a heart attack can be similar to indigestion. For example, they may include a feeling of heaviness in your chest, a stomach ache or heartburn. A heart attack can happen at any time, including while you are resting. If heart pains last longer than 15 minutes, it may be the start of a heart attack.
Unlike angina, the symptoms of a heart attack are not usually relieved using a nitrate tablet or spray.
Heart failure
Heart failure can occur in people with CHD. The heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body, which can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Heart failure can happen suddenly (acute heart failure) or gradually, over time (chronic heart failure).
Want to know more?
- British Heart Foundation: cardiovascular disease
- British Heart Foundation: angina
- British Heart Foundation: heart attack
Do you know what to do if someone has a heart attack?
When a heart attack happens, a bystander, often a relative with no medical expertise, is likely to be the first on the scene. Yet less than 1% of the population have attended an emergency life support (ELS) course. Heartstart UK (funded by the British Heart Foundation), British Red Cross and St John Ambulance can teach you how to help someone who is having a heart attack.
Glossary
- Chronic
- Chronic usually means a condition that continues for a long time or keeps coming back.
- Acute
- Acute means occuring suddenly or over a short period of time.
- Palpitations
- Palpitations refer to an irregular heartbeat, or the sensation of skipped or extra heartbeats.
- Arteries
- Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
