Signs & Symptoms of Heart Problems in Men

No one sign or symptom points to a heart problem in men. Some symptoms suggest the likelihood of a heart problem. A group of signs and symptoms together most likely indicates a heart problem. Doctors learn of symptoms by taking a good medical history and by doing a physical examination. Other tests are done to confirm the diagnosis. Sometimes there are no symptoms of heart disease in men until late in the disease. This is why it is important to get a physical examination every year.

Chest Pain

• There are many reasons why heart problems in men cause chest pain. Some causes are life-threatening and require immediate action. One serious cause of chest pain is a heart attack, Another serious cause is aortic dissection, which is the separation of the layers of the heart's wall,

  Less dangerous reasons for chest pain in men with heart problems include: an insufficient amount of blood flowing to the heart, also called ischemia, and inflammation if the sac around the heart, also known as pericarditis,. The mitral valve in the heart can elongate, When the heart beats, this causes short periods of stabbing pain. Sometimes men may have a loss of feeling from this pain.

Shortness of Breath

• Shortness of breath, also called dyspnea, often happens when heart failure is present. Shortness of breath occurs because the heart is not beating efficiently, causing fluid to build up in the lungs. In the beginning stages of heart failure, shortness of breath happens only during exercise and other physical activity. As the heart failure worsens, shortness of breath happens even during rest because of the fluid buildup throughout the lungs. If this symptom occurs at night, it is called nocturnal dyspnea. When the man again sits up and dangles his legs, then gravity allows the fluid to return to the bottom of the lungs. This reduces the shortness of breath. Men with nocturnal dyspnea often sleep propped up by pillows or in a recliner so they do not lie flat.

  If a man has coronary artery disease, shortness of breath occurs during physical activity, unless this problem is severe, in which case shortness of breath would also occur at rest.

Fatigue

• Men with heart problems may experience fatigue. This occurs most often when a man has heart failure because blood flow to muscles is inadequate during periods of physical activity. This makes the man feel weak or fatigued. This symptom in men is often not obvious. Men tend to ignore it or reduce the amount of physical activity they engage in. They may think that this fatigue is a result of getting older.

Palpitations

• Palpitations feel like pounding, fluttering, racing, or skipped beats in the heart. This symptom in men occurs because of a disturbance in heart rhythm, also known as arrhythmia. Arrhythmia can be harmless or life threatening. The most common cause of this symptom in men is premature contractions of the heart. Often, this is harmless.
  An arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation, usually occurs in men with a heart problem such as: disease of the coronary arteries, disease of the heart valves, or a heart electrical conduction system disorder.