Coronary Artery Disease: Symptoms

Coronary artery disease (CAD) makes it more difficult for oxygen-rich blood to move through arteries, so the symptoms mostly affect the heart and lungs. Common symptoms of CAD include:

• Angina: Angina is upper body pain or pressure. It's usually felt in the chest, but can also be experienced in the shoulders, arms, back or other areas of the upper body. Physical activity can make the pain feel worse.
• Shortness of breath: Shortness of breath is usually caused if CAD leads to congestive heart failure.

Sometimes CAD has no symptoms, called silent CAD. It can go undiagnosed up until someone has a heart attack, irregular heartbeat or other heart condition.

This information has been adapted from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.