What are the symptoms of a blocked artery?

Do you know the signs of a blocked artery? If you do have an artery blockage, you may not know it. You can’t feel a clogged artery, so many people don’t know their arteries are blocked until they experience an emergency such as a heart attack.

Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to lower your risk of clogged arteries. At Advocate Health Care, our specialists provide a full range of care to prevent and treat blocked arteries.

What causes clogged arteries?

Typically, blocked arteries are the result of atherosclerosis. It occurs when fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances build up in your arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.

When this plaque buildup occurs in your coronary arteries, which supply blood to your heart, it can lead to coronary artery disease. In fact, atherosclerosis is the most common cause of coronary artery disease.

Angina symptoms versus heart attack signs

Chest pain, or angina, is one of the most common early signs of a blocked artery. It’s also one of the most well-known symptoms of a heart attack, which can make it difficult to know if chest pain is an emergency.

You usually experience angina when you are physically exerting yourself or feeling a strong emotional reaction. However, the pain usually goes away when you stop moving or calm down.

“Most people describe angina pain as a kind of squeezing pressure, tightness or heaviness,” Dr. Ajay Parikh, cardiologist with Advocate Health Care, says. “These symptoms are similar to heart attack symptoms. But in patients who are having a heart attack, symptoms do not subside with rest.”

Angina isn’t a disease; it’s a symptom of a more serious condition such as coronary artery disease. Angina pain may:

• Start in your breastbone (sternum)
• Radiate to your left arm or shoulder
• Extend to your jaw or upper back

Other signs you may have atherosclerosis (blocked arteries)

In addition to chest pain, symptoms of a clogged artery may include:

• Dizziness
• Feeling like your heart is racing (heart palpitations)
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Weakness

Your doctor may also run tests to look for signs of atherosclerosis such as:

• A whooshing sound, called a bruit, in your artery
• An absent or weak pulse
• Low blood pressure in one of your limbs

What to do if you have symptoms of a blocked artery

If you have chest pain that increases with activity and goes away with rest, call your health care provider. You may need tests to diagnose or rule out clogged arteries.

If you have sudden chest pain without exerting yourself, it could be a heart attack. Call 911 immediately if you think you could be having a heart attack.

How to lower your risk of clogged arteries

You can lower your risk of developing clogged arteries by:

• Eating a heart-healthy diet
• Exercising regularly
• Managing stress with healthy coping tools
• Taking medications to lower cholesterol or blood pressure, if needed
• Quitting smoking

Atherosclerosis: Early detection is the best prevention

Atherosclerosis is highly treatable when it’s diagnosed early. Don’t wait until symptoms develop – be proactive about your heart health.

Bob Hurdle, volunteer at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, discovered the importance of early detection firsthand. Although he’d never had any heart disease symptoms and lived an active lifestyle, he scheduled a heart scan based on his family history and age.

As a result of his heart scan, Bob found out he had a 90 percent blocked artery. He underwent angioplasty and stenting, a type of cardiac catheterization procedure, and was back to his active lifestyle in less than two weeks.

“If you don’t ask questions of whether you possibly have coronary heart disease, by the time you find out it may be too late,” says Dr. Thomas Discher, cardiologist with Advocate Health Care. “By asking questions and following up on the results, Bob underwent a successful stent procedure that restored blood flow and helped get him back to his regular routine.”

Is a heart scan right for you?

A heart scan may be right for you if you’re at least 35, have not been previously diagnosed with heart disease, don’t have a pacemaker and have at least two risk factors for coronary artery disease.

Advocate Health Care offers quick and inexpensive tests to find out if you are at risk of developing coronary artery disease. A simple heart scan could prevent a heart attack and save your life. Learn more about our $49 heart scans.