5 Signs of Heart Disease You Shouldn't Ignore (And When to See a Specialist)

Regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States — a position it's held for more than a century. In fact, nearly 2,500 American lives are lost each day due to cardiovascular disease.

As with many health conditions, recognizing the problem early on can make all the difference, and this is definitely true for heart disease. Early intervention can literally change the course of your health and potentially save your life.

Given this reality, board-certified cardiologist Dr. Satjit Bhusri and the team at Upper East Side Cardiology want to highlight a few early warning signs of heart disease below.

A quick word about heart disease

When we talk about heart disease, we’re referring to conditions that involve the structure of your heart, malfunctions, and issues with blood flow. Some of the more common conditions that fall under heart disease include: 

• Heart attacks (occur every 40 seconds in the US)
• Coronary artery disease, which affects 5% of adults
• Stroke
• Heart valve issues
• Arrhythmias
• Heart failure

Now let's look at some warning flags of heart disease.

Heart disease warning signs

Many of the heart disease conditions that we outline above share the same symptoms, which include:

1. Chest pain

One of the harder-to-ignore signs of heart disease is chest pain or tightness in your chest, which are rarely normal occurrences. This pain can present in different ways, such as:

• Stabbing pain
• A feeling of tugging in your chest
• A heaviness in your chest
• Burning sensations

What each of these is signaling is that your heart isn’t getting enough oxygen.

1. Shortness of breath

If blood isn’t pumping efficiently through your heart due to a malfunction, you can experience shortness of breath. Shortness of breath stems from fluid buildup, which can occur because of valvular disease, heart attack, and heart failure.

1. Heart palpitations

If you feel odd sensations in your chest, such as fluttering, flip-flopping, racing, and skipping, these are likely heart palpitations. Sometimes these sensations are harmless and come with anxiety or fear. If they persist and you experience palpitations often, however, it’s time to have us check you for heart rhythm issues.

1. Dizziness

If you regularly feel dizzy or lightheaded, this can be a sign of heart disease. Dizziness often occurs if your heart isn’t pumping rhythmically or there’s an issue with your heart valves opening and closing.

1. Fatigue

If you feel more fatigued than usual, despite being well-rested, this might indicate cardiovascular issues. This fatigue can be constant, or your legs might feel heavy when you walk or exercise.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and there’s no obvious explanation, you must see us for an evaluation. We can do a lot to manage heart disease, and the earlier we can intervene, the better your outcome.

To schedule a cardiac evaluation, please contact our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. You can reach our team at 212-752-3464 or request an appointment online.