Heart disease may not cause symptoms and may be "silent." Sometimes, heart disease is diagnosed when a person experiences signs of a heart attack, heart failure or arrhythmia.
Heart attack: Symptoms of heart attacks are sudden and can occur when you're resting or awaken you from sleep. You may feel tightness or pressure in the chest radiating to the arm, neck or jaw. Heart attacks may be associated with nausea, breaking out into a cold sweat or having shortness of breath (as if you just ran a marathon).
The chest pain can be on the left, right, mid-chest or low-chest. Don't get caught up in the location; get to the hospital. Often, lower chest tightness or pressure is mistaken for stomach issues. Other symptoms are upper back tightness and pressure, fainting, and extreme fatigue.
Heart failure: Heart failure is associated with shortness of breath, leg swelling, inability to lie flat because of shortness of breath and decreased physical endurance, meaning your body is unable to do activity for a long period of time.
Arrhythmia: The symptoms of arrhythmia include rapid, skipped or fluttering heart beats; fainting; near fainting; and lightheadedness.