Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) does not usually cause symptoms until it becomes advanced. Subtle symptoms can include dizziness, indigestion-like sensations, fatigue, and lack of energy. More noticeable symptoms of CAD include shortness of breath and chest pain. These are all warning signs of a heart attack and you should seek medical attention if you have any of the signs or symptoms of CAD.

coronary artery disease symptoms

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Frequent Symptoms

In general, symptoms of CAD are related to narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart, which can intermittently prevent the heart muscle from receiving optimal blood supply. It's important to remember that, though symptoms are not common with CAD, they can occur.

The most common symptoms of CAD are:

  • Shortness of breath: If you have insufficient blood flow in the coronary vessels, you may feel that you can't catch your breath, can't get enough air, or cannot breathe. This sensation is often described as dyspnea. It is more likely to occur or worsen with physical exertion or emotional stress. Sometimes, shortness of breath may not be so obvious, and it can make you feel as if you do not have energy or endurance. 
  • Chest discomfort: Often, insufficient blood flow to your coronary arteries can manifest as indigestion-like chest discomfort. In general, true indigestion (not caused by CAD) should occur shortly after eating and may worsen when you are in a lying down position.

Chest discomfort caused by coronary artery disease is more likely to occur with demanding physical activity and to improve when you reduce your physical activity. 

  • Dizziness/lightheadedness: You may experience intermittent lightheadedness or dizziness if you have CAD. This is more likely to accompany physical exertion, but it can happen at any time. 
  • Lack of energy: A sense of diminished energy and frequent or unexpected fatigue may occur with CAD. This is a particularly concerning warning sign if you have other symptoms of CAD as well, but it can be the only symptom.  
  • Angina: Stable angina is defined by tightness and pressure, which is most intense on the left side of the chest or behind the breastbone, and may involve the jaw and left shoulder. With CAD, angina may occur for a few minutes and resolve on its own, or may worsen over the course of minutes, which is the sign of a myocardial infarction (heart attack). Many people who have a heart attack as a complication of CAD recall having had brief episodes of chest pain over the prior months. Advanced CAD can produce angina if your heart muscle temporarily does not get enough blood flow through the coronary arteries. Stable angina occurs in a nearly predictable fashion, for instance, with physical exertion or during times of severe stress, and generally means that a plaque has become large enough to produce a partial obstruction of a coronary artery. 

Rare Symptoms

Atypical symptoms of CAD are not as widely recognizable. People who experience these symptoms might not even mention them to the healthcare provider, even at a regularly scheduled check-up. This can lead to missed diagnoses, inadequate therapy, and worse outcomes. 

Atypical symptoms of CAD include:

  • Unstable angina: Unstable angina is any new angina, angina that occurs at rest, or angina that occurs with less physical exertion than previously caused the angina (e.g. you may have been able to walk five blocks before developing chest pain and now you develop it after walking two blocks). If you have unstable angina, you are at high risk of developing a total occlusion of the coronary artery, leading to a heart attack.
  • Atypical chest pain: The pain of angina is characteristically described as pressure, or a tight, squeezing sensation. But it may also manifest as a hot or burning sensation and it can be located in the upper abdomen, back, shoulders, arms, neck, or jaw. Women, in particular, are more likely to experience atypical chest pain as a result of CAD, and, some women may not have chest discomfort at all. Instead, they may experience tingling or numbness of the left side of the chest or arm; a sore throat is also a potential atypical presentation, especially in women.
  • Palpitations: A rapid or irregular heartbeat may feel like a thumping or quivering sensation and is often accompanied by dizziness or lightheadedness. 
  • Silent heart attacks: A silent heart attack is a heart attack that occurs without causing noticeable symptoms. Usually, heart attacks are characterized by distressing chest pain and shortness of breath.

Complications

There are several serious complications of CAD. These can occur after years of untreated CAD when the arteries become so badly diseased that complete obstruction of blood flow through the coronary arteries occurs. This causes insufficient oxygen and nutrient delivery to the heart muscles, potentially causing the death of the heart muscle cells and subsequent dysfunction of a portion of the heart muscle itself. 

  • Myocardial infarctions (heart attacks): A heart attack is a lack of blood flow to the myocardium (heart muscle). It is typically characterized by crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. Symptoms can also include nausea; vomiting; indigestion; dyspnea; extreme fatigue; sweating; or numbness or tingling of the left side of the chest, left arm, shoulder, upper abdomen, neck, or jaw.  
  • Arrhythmia: An irregular heartbeat can begin after a heart attack. If the heart attack affects the pacemaker of the heart, it can result in an irregular heart rhythm. This may cause fatigue, lightheadedness, palpitations, or fainting.  
  • Heart failure: If a portion of the heart muscle becomes weak after a heart attack, heart failure (a weak heart) can result. Heart failure manifests as fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling of the legs.  

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If you experience intermittent symptoms of CAD, you should tell your healthcare provider. Many people avoid talking about symptoms or ignore them out of fear or denial. Without treatment, CAD will get worse and can suddenly cause a fatal heart attack, or can cause a heart attack that results in lifelong complications and a diminished quality of life. 

If you experience angina or symptoms of what seems to be a heart attack, you need to get emergency medical attention.

When to Talk to Your Healthcare Provider

If you have symptoms that could be CAD, such as fatigue, nausea, heartburn, chest pain, shortness of breath, or diminished physical endurance, you should call your healthcare provider to describe how you are feeling and follow the recommendations for an appointment or diagnostic testing.

When you see your healthcare provider, be sure to describe the timing, frequency, and duration of your symptoms. Include details such as what you were doing when they occurred and what made the symptoms go away. Our guide below can help you understand terminology your healthcare provider may use, as well as give you questions to better understand your condition.

Coronary Artery Disease Doctor Discussion Guide

Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

Doctor Discussion Guide Old Man

When to Get Emergency Medical Care

If your symptoms worsen or become more frequent, you should get medical attention promptly. If you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, or unusual left-sided symptoms, with or without a trigger, call for emergency help. A heart attack can be fatal and prompt treatment leads to better outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the most common sign of coronary artery disease?

    Angina is typically the most common symptom. It's usually felt in the chest but can also be in the left shoulder, neck, arms, back, upper abdomen, or jaw. Call for emergency help if you're experiencing angina symptoms for more than five minutes.

  • What are the symptoms of coronary artery disease in women?

    Women may have symptoms that are less likely to be identified as cardiac-related. The most common signs for women are angina, pain in the jaw or throat, pain in the upper abdomen or back, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.

5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Ischemic Heart Disease. Signs and symptoms.

  2. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus. Unstable angina.

  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease. Heart Attack.

  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

  5. Cleveland Clinic. Coronary artery disease symptoms.

Additional Reading
Richard N. Fogoros, MD

By Richard N. Fogoros, MD
Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified in internal medicine, clinical cardiology, and clinical electrophysiology.