Heart disease is common in diabetics. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders, or NIDDK, diabetics are twice as likely as non-diabetics to have heart disease or a stroke, and a person with diabetes may also develop heart disease symptoms at an earlier age than others. Heart disease symptoms in diabetics mirror those in non-diabetics, although NIDDK reports that heart attacks in diabetics are more serious and have a greater likelihood of causing death.
Angina
Angina is a heart disease symptom experienced by some diabetics. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, angina is a chest pain or discomfort that manifests when a person's heart does not get sufficient blood and oxygen. Angina may feel like pressure or a squeezing sensation in the chest, or a bout of indigestion. Angina-related chest pain may even be accompanied by shoulder, arm, neck, jaw or back pain; symptoms that are more frequently experienced by women with heart disease. The NIH states that there are three principle types of angina: stable, unstable and variant, or Prinzmetal's angina. Stable angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs when a person exercises or experiences stress. Unstable angina is chest pain or discomfort that is sudden and unexplainable, and gets progressively worse. Variant angina is caused by a spasm in a coronary artery, and may or may not be associated with coronary artery disease—one of the most common types of heart disease.
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias are a heart disease symptom experienced by some diabetics. The Family Doctor website states that the most common cause of arrhythmias is heart disease, especially coronary artery disease. An arrhythmia is an alteration of normal heart rhythm. The NIH notes that arrhythmia is a condition characterized by a heart that beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern. A heartbeat that's too fast is called tachycardia, and a heartbeat that's too slow is called bradycardia. A bounding heart rate, often associated with high blood pressure or fluid overload, can sometimes be felt in a person's chest, throat or neck. Heart disease increases a person's likelihood for developing an abnormal heart rhythm. According to the Family Doctor website, four of the most common types of arrhythmias include atrial fibrillation, or a fast and irregular heartbeat; paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, or a fast, yet regular heartbeat; ectopic, or extra heartbeats; and ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, in which the heart beats too fast and may not pump sufficient blood.
Dizziness and Fatigue
Dizziness and fatigue are heart disease symptoms experienced by some diabetics. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, although heart disease has relatively few symptoms, possible signs of heart disease include dyspnea, or shortness of breath; nausea, or feeling sick to the stomach; dizziness and fatigue. The American Heart Association adds that dizziness, nausea and sweaty palms are all signs of imminent fainting or syncope. A 2001 study by Paolo Alboni M.D. and colleagues published in the "Journal of the American College of Cardiology" states that among people who experience syncope, the presence of suspected or certain heart disease is a strong predictor of a heart-related cause of fainting. According to the Merck Manuals website, when the heart pumps inefficiently, as it can with heart disease, the circulation of blood to the muscles may be insufficient during physical exertion, which may cause a person to feel weak or fatigued.
