Coronary artery disease. This is the most common cause of death due to heart disease. This is where plaque builds up in the coronary arteries and decreases blood flow. The symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- heart attack (extreme cases)
Cardiomegaly. This is an enlarged heart where the heart muscle grows thicker, the heart grows larger, but it weakens due to the condition. The symptoms include:
- Heart rhythm disturbances
- Swelling in the lower extremities
- Shortness of breath
Heart attack. A heart attack is the complete blockage of blood to the heart muscle. When this happens part of the heart muscle dies. The symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain
- Neck or jaw pain
- Pain in the stomach
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety or feeling of doom
- Dizziness, cold sweats
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Symptoms vary from person to person and males from females. This is a medical emergency and if you experience these symptoms, call 9-1-1.
Abnormal heart rhythm. This is where your heart does not beat in the usual rhythm. Symptoms include:
- Fast heartbeat
- Heart skipping beats
- Pounding heartbeat
- Dizziness, chest pain
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling lightheaded
- Feeling faint.
This can also be a medical emergency and needs emergency medical assistance.
Atrial fibrillation. This is an abnormal heart rhythm that becomes too fast to pump blood effectively out to the organs. The symptoms include:
- Shortness of breast
- Heart palpitations
- Feeling tired
- Confusion
- Chest pain
- Weakness
- Feeling lightheaded
Heart valve disease. Heart valves can stop working correctly to regulate the blood flow inside the heart. One of the more common heart valve diseases is mitral valve prolapse. Symptoms include irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, feeling tired, low activity level, swelling in the feet and ankles, and feeling lightheaded.
Cardiomyopathy. This is a disease of the actual heart muscle. The heart muscle becomes weakened and the ventricles become floppy. This hampers the ability to pump blood effectively. Symptoms are shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded, chest pain, feeling tired, swelling in the lower extremities, cough, and irregular heart rhythm.
Pericarditis. The sac around the heart becomes infected or inflamed. The symptoms are sharp chest pains, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, weakness, cough, and heart palpitations.
Pericardial effusion. This is a collection of fluid around the heart. It is a complication of infections, heart surgery, cancer, or renal disease. Symptoms include a fast pulse, fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, cough, and trouble breathing during sleep or resting.