How Do I Know If I Have Heart Disease or Cardiovascular Disease?
Heart disease often has no symptoms, which is why it is called a “silent killer.” But there are some symptoms that can alert you to a possible problem. Chest or arm discomfort, especially while under stress or during activity, is a classic symptom of heart disease and is a warning sign of a heart attack. You also may be very tired for no reason, have shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea or abnormal heart beats.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you think you may be having any symptoms of heart disease. Your healthcare provider will take a complete medical history and do a physical exam to determine if you should be referred to a cardiologist.
A cardiologist can perform many tests to determine if you have heart disease. The choice of which, and how many, tests to perform depends on a person's symptoms and history of heart problems. The cardiologist will most often start with simple tests that may lead to more complex ones. More than one test may be needed because each one provides different information. The tests can be invasive or noninvasive. Invasive tests involve the insertion of needles, instruments or fluids into the body; noninvasive do not.