Women also tend to have more severe first heart attacks that more frequently lead to death, compared to men. Heart attacks in women may be preceded by unexplained fatigue. There may not be pain but unexplained anxiety, nausea, dizziness, palpitations and cold sweat. Women may experience pain more like indigestion and the pain may not be consistent. Women may have some of the same symptoms, but their pain may be more diffused, spreading to the shoulders, neck, arms, abdomen and back.

The symptoms of heart attack in men are intense chest pain, pain in the left arm or jaw and difficulty breathing. Swelling of the hands, legs, ankles or feet.Very fast or slow heartbeat, palpitations or fluttering in your chest.Easily tiring during exercise or activity.Pain or discomfort in the arms, neck, shoulder, jaw and back.Pain, weakness or numbness in your legs and/or arms.Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort.

Symptoms of cardiovascular disease vary based on what condition you have and can include: Often, there are no underlying symptoms of cardiovascular disease, and the first sign can be a heart attack or stroke. Peripheral vascular disease (including peripheral arterial disease) – a disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs.Ĭerebrovascular disease – a disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain.Ĭhagas disease – discovered more than 100 years ago, Chagas disease can cause irreversible damage to the heart and other organs. Vascular disease (blood vessel disease) – any condition that affects your circulatory system. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) – Rheumatic heart disease is damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria. Pericardial disease (pericarditis) – inflammation of the thin tissue sac that surrounds the heart. Heart valve disease – a disease of the heart valves that keep blood flowing through the heart. Heart failure – heart failure is when your heart isn’t pumping as well as it should be. Other conditionsĪrrhythmia – irregular or abnormal heartbeat.Īortic disease (including aortic aneurysm) – a disease that causes the aorta to widen or tear.Ĭardiomyopathies – diseases of the heart muscle.Ĭongenital heart disease – problems with the heart or blood vessels that exist at birth.ĭeep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can break loose and travel to the heart and lungs. A stroke can either be caused by a blood clot in the brain artery or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and bleeds, damaging the brain tissue. StrokeĪ stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, causing the brain to lose its vital supply of oxygen and nutrients. A heart attack may not be fatal, especially if you receive immediate medical attention and treatment, but it can still cause lasting damage to the heart.

Without oxygen and nutrients, the heart muscle begins to die. Heart attackĪ heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when something, usually a blood clot, cuts off the flow of blood to the heart. For some people, the first sign of coronary heart disease is a heart attack. It refers to heart problems caused by narrowed coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Coronary heart disease, sometimes called coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease, is the most common type of heart disease.

Diabetes infographic on men graph