Heart disease
Your heart pumps blood around your body through your arteries and veins. The blood contains oxygen and nutrients that keep your body working. When there’s something wrong with your heart or blood vessels, it’s known as heart (cardiovascular) disease.
The Heart Foundation website has detailed information on:
The Heart Foundation’s Know Your Numbers website has an online calculator to:
- forecast your risk of heart attack or stroke
- create a heart health plan.
Your doctor or practice nurse can assess your risk of getting heart disease. Ask for a Heart Warrant of Fitness (WOF).
Heart attack
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to a section of the heart muscle becomes blocked. If the blood flow is not restored quickly, the section of the heart muscle dies.
Heart attack symptoms
Pain in the centre of your chest is the most common symptom of a heart attack.
If you’re having a heart attack, you may feel pain in your:
- chest (can be mild to severe)
- jaw
- neck
- shoulder.
You may also get other symptoms, such as:
- sweating
- feeling dizzy or faint
- vomiting
- being short of breath.
You may not feel any pain.
If you think you or someone else may be having a heart attack, call 111 straight away. Early treatment can save your life.
Angina
Angina occurs when your heart muscle does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs. It is a sign of heart disease, however it can be treated.
Angina symptoms
Angina usually occurs when you’re exercising.
Symptoms include:
- tightness or pain in your chest that may come and go
- sudden difficulty breathing
- pain between your shoulder blades
- chest pain spreading to your jaw, teeth or earlobes
- heaviness, tingling or aching in your shoulder or arm (usually on the left side).
If you’ve had any of these symptoms, talk to your GP or nurse.
The Ministry of Health is grateful to The Heart Foundation for permission to link to its websites.
In this section
- Angina is chest pain caused by heart disease. The arteries that carry blood to the heart get narrower, so your heart can’t get the oxygen it needs to work. Learn more about angina – the symptoms, treatment and what to do if someone may be having a heart attack. Read more
- Learn about the symptoms of a heart attack and what to do. Read more
Resources
Reducing Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke Booklet
Available from the National Heart Foundation.
Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter
Available from the Ministry of Health
Eating for Healthy Adult New Zealanders
Available on HealthEd.
Be Active Every Day
Available on HealthEd.
Healthy Weight for Adults
Available on HealthEd.
Find out more from the Ministry
- Cardiovascular disease – Publications and resources relating to cardiovascular disease in New Zealand
- Health targets: Better diabetes and cardiovascular services
Page last updated: 31 October 2012
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