Heart disease in any form is dangerous. Recognizing the signs of possible heart disease and getting appropriate treatment may prevent a serious problem from developing.

• Coronary artery disease (CAD) means you have hard, narrow arteries. Symptoms include pain in the arms, neck, or jaw, shortness of breath, weakness or dizziness, nausea, or sweating.
• Arrhythmia, changes in the beat of your heart, can be caused by changes in your heart muscle. Symptoms include pounding in your chest, dizziness, fainting, and fatigue.
• Heart valve disease means your heart valves aren't working properly.
• Congestive heart failure means the heart fails to pump normally. Blood moves through the heart at a slower rate. Symptoms include poor energy, shortness of breath (particularly when lying down), swelling of ankles, and unusually fast weight gain.

Recognizing common warning signals

• Chest pain, or angina, is a tightness or pressure in your chest because your heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen. "While the pain may vary from person to person, if you have chest discomfort and risk for heart disease (any of the mentioned disorders, or if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a family history of heart disease, or history of smoking), you should take these symptoms seriously and see a physician," says Theresa Brennan, MD, UI Heart and Vascular Center physician.
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling, or edema, in your legs or feet
• Your calf muscles may hurt when you walk and improves after stopping. "This may be an indication of blockages in the arteries to the legs and is commonly seen in people who have blockage in the heart arteries," says Brennan.

Risk assessments

UI Heart and Vascular Center offers two comprehensive heart risk assessments.

Comprehensive heart risk assessment:

• Consultation with a cardiac specialist
• Lipid profile, including HDL, triglycerides, and glucose tests
• Cardiac risk profile
• 12-lead electrocardiogram
• Blood pressure and heart rate
• Body mass index
• Follow-up with results

Comprehensive assessment and exercise consultation

• All components of the comprehensive assessment
• Diagnostic ECG-monitored exercise evaluation
• Recommended exercise plan

Heart disease is:

• The leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2004 (the most recent numbers), it claimed 869,724 lives—36.3 percent of all deaths, more than cancer, accidents, and HIV combined.
• An umbrella term for a number of conditions affecting the heart and the blood vessels that supply the heart.

Call the UI Heart and Vascular Center, 319-356-2777, to schedule your assessment.