Coronary heart disease

Symptoms of coronary heart disease 

More than 90% of people experiencing chest pain for the first time are now seen by a specialist within two weeks.

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).

Heart attacks

Heart attacks can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle, and if not treated straight away, can be fatal. If you think that you are having a heart attack, you should dial 999 for immediate medical assistance.

Heart palpitations

If you have coronary heart disease, you may experience heart palpitations. Heart palpitations occur when your heart beats irregularly, or harder than normal. It is important to realise that heart palpitations are not necessarily linked to coronary heart disease, and if you experience them, you should not worry unduly. However, it is always best to have it checked out by your GP.

Heart failure

Heart failure can occur in people with coronary heart disease. 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 breath. Heart failure can happen suddenly (acute heart failure) or gradually, over a period of time (chronic heart failure).

The symptoms of angina

Angina is a symptom of coronary heart disease. 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 emotionally stressful situations. The symptoms usually pass within about 10-15 minutes and can be relieved by resting, or using a nitrate tablet or spray.

The symptoms of a heart attack

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, and
  • 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 the symptoms last longer than 15 minutes, it is probably a heart attack.

Unlike angina, the symptoms of a heart attack cannot be relieved using a nitrate tablet or spray.

  • show glossary terms

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.
Indigestion
Heartburn, also known as indigestion, is a painful, burning discomfort felt in the chest, usually after eating.
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.
Angina
Angina is chest pain caused by a reduced flow of blood to the heart, typically resulting from heart disease.
Heart attacks
A heart attack happens when there is a blockage in one of the arteries in the heart.
Blood
Blood supplies oxygen to the body and removes carbon dioxide. It is pumped around the body by the heart.
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood around the body.
Lungs
Lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that control breathing. They remove carbon dioxide from the blood and replace it with oxygen.

Last reviewed: 03/08/2009

Next review due: 03/08/2011

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kirstielu said on 02 August 2009

i am only 36 but have a poor diet where I binge eat and have recently been smoking again after 8 yrs of not smoking , the past few weeks I have been troubled by an aching feeling in my left arm ,its not constant but is becoming more frequent ,i went to the doctors and she didnt really do alot of investigation ,she was more anoide that I hadn been to another appointment for something else ,should I insist to get checked out with this achy arm

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nicstephens said on 19 July 2009

In Nov 2007 my mother had a massive heart attack, during which time she had a cardiac arrest and had to have CPR and electric shocks.
Her symptons were not the "classic" heart attack symptoms that the press tell us about. Hers included two to three weeks of feeling unwell, with dizzy spells and aching arms. She put this down to recovering from flu. During the actual heart attack which lasted approx 30 minutes before arrest, she was sick, had diahorrea, felt pain in her jaw, heavy arms, had chest pains but not the tightening pain that we are warned about - more a restrictive feeling, she says there was a pain she couldnt really describe but was so severe she couldnt speak. All this with a feeling of being frightened. However other people we know of that have had heart attacks report very different symptoms- not all survived.
Fortunatley after having stents inserted (and some excellent care at James Cook Hosp - Middlesbrough) she went to make a full recovery. PLEASE be aware that not all heart attacks are the same and symptoms can vary wildly. Its better to be embarrased by a false alarm than to die from a heart attack.

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An estimated 70% of heart attacks happen outside hospital.

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.

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