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Coronary Heart Disease
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of coronary heart disease may last for 30 seconds to 30 minutes. The pain may radiate to the left shoulder, left arm, or the jaw. Occasionally, the pain may radiate to the right arm. Common symptoms include:
- Sensation of pressure or heavy weight on the chest
- Burning sensation
- Crushing or squeezing sensation
- Feeling of tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Gradual increase in intensity followed by gradual fading away
Women are less likely to experience these "typical" symptoms, but are more likely to have unusual symptoms, such as nausea, fatigue, or indigestion. Other "atypical" or unusual symptoms include back, neck, or jaw pain, vomiting, weakness, and dizziness. Women are also more likely to experience "pre-heart attack" symptoms, which include unusual fatigue, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath, chest pain, indigestion, anxiety, and pain in the upper back or shoulder blade. These "pre-heart attack" symptoms generally occur four to six months to one week before the actual heart attack. However, some patients have reported symptoms up to two years before their heart attack. You should talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Depending on the type of angina, precipitating factors may include:
- Relationship to exercise
- Effort involving the use of your arms above your head
- Cold temperatures
- Walking against a strong wind
- Walking after eating a large meal
- Fright or anger
- Sexual intercourse
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What are the symptoms?
