Cardiovascular Symptoms

Heart disease in blood vessels

A buildup of fatty plaques in your arteries, or atherosclerosis can damage your blood vessels and heart. Plaque buildup causes narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke

Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure, and chest discomfort (angina)
Shortness of breath
Pain, numbness, weakness, or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed
Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen, or back

Heart arrhythmias

Heart disease symptoms caused by abnormal heartbeats

Your heart may beat too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly. Heart arrhythmia signs and symptoms can include:

Fluttering in your chest
Racing heartbeat (tachycardia)
Slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
Chest pain or discomfort
Shortness of breath
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Fainting (syncope) or near fainting

Heart disease caused by heart defects

Serious heart defects that you're born with (congenital heart defects) usually are noticed soon after birth. Heart defect signs and symptoms in children could include:

Pale gray or blue skin color (cyanosis)
Swelling in the legs, abdomen or areas around the eyes
In an infant, shortness of breath during feedings, leading to poor weight gain

Less serious congenital heart defects are often not diagnosed until later in childhood or during adulthood. Signs and symptoms of congenital heart defects that usually aren't immediately life-threatening include:

Easily getting short of breath during exercise or activity
Easily tiring during exercise or activity
Swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet

Cardiomyopathy

Heart disease symptoms caused by the diseased heart muscle

In the early stages of cardiomyopathy, you may have no symptoms. As the condition worsens, symptoms may include:

Breathlessness with activity or at rest
Swelling of the legs, ankles and feet
Fatigue
Irregular heartbeats that feel rapid, pounding or fluttering
Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting

Heart disease caused by a heart infection

Endocarditis is an infection that affects the inner lining of your heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). Heart infection signs and symptoms can include:

Fever
Shortness of breath
Weakness or fatigue
Swelling in your legs or abdomen
Changes in your heart rhythm
Dry or persistent cough
Skin rashes or unusual spots

Valvular heart disease

Heart disease caused by heart valve problems

The heart has four valves — the aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valves — that open and close to direct blood flow through your heart. Many things can damage your heart valves, leading to narrowing (stenosis), leaking (regurgitation or insufficiency) or improper closing (prolapse).

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Irregular heartbeat
Swollen feet or ankles
Chest pain
Fainting (syncope)