THE NO. 1 HEART DISEASE SYMPTOM A CARDIOLOGIST NEVER IGNORES IN HER OWN BODY

Heart disease can sneak up on a person, something Dr. Jennifer Haythe sees as she treats patients dealing with the No. 1 killer of Americans.

“You can have many risk factors for heart disease that is completely silent for many, many years and then suddenly have a massive heart attack if you're not getting appropriately screened,” Haythe, a cardiologist and co-director of the Columbia Women's Heart Center in New York, tells TODAY.com.

“You don't feel high blood pressure; you don't feel high cholesterol. … There are a lot of risk factors that have no symptoms. And it just reaches a critical point.”

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S.

Knowing what she knows, how does the doctor keep her own heart healthy?

Like many people, Haythe has a risk factor: high cholesterol, which runs in her family, so she takes a statin to keep it in check.

The cardiologist eats a Mediterranean diet and exercises three to four times a week, including cardio such as running and bicycling, plus strength training.

She doesn’t smoke and drinks little or no alcohol. Haythe is also “very aggressive” about getting at least seven hours of sleep every night, a crucial lifestyle factor the American Heart Association considers one of “Life’s Essential 8” components of heart health.

Haythe goes to her primary care doctor and gynecologist once a year. Her blood pressure, cholesterol and hemoglobin A1C are checked during those routine visits.

“I talk a lot about how I want women to pay attention to symptoms, but sometimes I also remind myself that I have to pay attention to symptoms in myself,” Haythe says.

“I feel very attuned to myself. So if I started to feel any of these symptoms, I would get attention.”

She lists these “big ones” that would make her worried:

Chest Pressure or Pain

Chest pressure or discomfort is always the No. 1 most alarming warning sign, Haythe says.

That’s true for both men and women when it comes to heart attack symptoms, the American Heart Association notes, though women can also have other symptoms.

It can happen when part of the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood due to blocked arteries and feels like “pain, pressure, tightness, discomfort, squeezing, heaviness or burning in the chest,” according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

The pressure may last more than a few minutes or go away and come back. It may spread from the center of the chest to the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back.

Feeling More Shortness of Breath

“If I did a normal activity that suddenly made me feel more short of breath, like running, going up the subway stairs or my normal exercise routine,” Haythe says, “(it) would make me feel alarmed.”

Noticing more shortness of breath with activities that usually didn't cause that problem before is one of the biggest heart disease warning signs other than chest pressure, the cardiologist notes.

Blockages in the arteries of the heart can cause ischemia, which is lack of good blood flow to the heart, “just without it being an actual heart attack yet,” she says. “That can manifest as shortness of breath or chest pain.”

Persistent Pain in the Upper Abdomen

Known as mid-epigastric pain, it feels like reflux but doesn't improve, Haythe says. The sensation usually shows up right below the breastbone.

“Women in particular shouldn't ignore gastrointestinal symptoms of heart disease,” she warns. “Nausea, some mid-epigastric pain, that feeling of reflux — that burning feeling that is not actually reflux and it's a slightly different or not going away or just feels not right.”

The cardiologist lists that as one of the top three heart disease symptoms besides chest pressure and worsening shortness of breath that she’d monitor in her own body.

Dizziness or Lightheadedness

People can feel dizzy with a heart attack because their blood pressure drops — “It's not the most typical symptom, but it can happen,” Haythe notes.

It can also be a warning sign of an arrhythmia — an irregular heart rhythm that can limit how much oxygen reaches the brain — since not getting good blood supply to the brain can cause dizziness, she adds.

Breaking Out Into a Cold Sweat

Sudden clammy skin without exercise may be the body’s response to pain or distress, research suggests.

“A lot of women in menopause sweat a lot, so I don't want every single menopausal woman to think she's having a heart attack,” Haythe says.

“But having sweating in the setting of chest discomfort or shortness of breath is certainly a very important symptom of heart attack and should not be ignored.”

Heart Palpitations

This feels like the heart skipping a beat, racing or pounding.

Everybody may experience a little heart fluttering on occasion, but more sustained palpitations — especially if they’re associated with feeling lightheaded or unwell — warrant a closer look, Haythe says.

It could be a sign of atrial fibrillation, a common type of arrhythmia.

How To Get Help

Chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath and other heart attack symptoms warrant immediate attention and a call to 911.

The chances of heart disease sneaking up on you are “dramatically reduced” if you get the proper screening and preventive care, Haythe notes.

Be diligent about seeing your doctor once a year and having your heart disease risk factors checked, she advises. This includes high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

“It's never too late to intervene and start taking care of yourself, taking your medication and living a healthy lifestyle,” Haythe says.

“Trust yourself. If you feel like something's wrong, there's maybe something wrong. Trust your gut. If the doctor you go to doesn't pay attention, then get another opinion.”

TODAY.com’s Symptom Check series features doctors, specialists and health experts who reveal the warning signs they’d look for in their own body when it comes to cancer and other diseases.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

2026-02-04T17:28:19Z