Early signs of heart disease: What to look for

Read Time

7 Minutes

Written by

Team Curative

Published

Feb 20, 2026

Heart disease is an umbrella term that includes many different cardiovascular conditions. While its signs, symptoms, and side effects may vary from person to person, it is always considered a serious medical diagnosis. Patients can help reduce their risk of heart disease through preventive care, including exercise and a nutritious diet.

Because heart disease is one of the leading medical risks across the country, it is more important than ever that employees have an insurance plan that covers health screenings and supports heart health.

Take some time to review the most common signs and symptoms of heart disease and stay prepared with preventive care that equips you with the tools to live a healthy and productive life.

How common is heart disease?

Establishing a baseline understanding of heart disease prevalence provides helpful context for recognizing its early signs. The statistics might surprise you:

Leading Cause of Death: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately 1 in every 5 deaths. In 2024, 931,578 people died from heart disease.

Frequency of Heart Attacks: Someone in the U.S. has a heart attack every 40 seconds. Annually, about 805,000 Americans experience a heart attack, with 605,000 being first-time incidents and 200,000 occurring in individuals who have had previous heart attacks. Notably, about 1 in 5 heart attacks are silent, meaning the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD): CHD is the most common type of heart disease, causing 375,476 deaths every year. Approximately 1 in 20 adults aged 20 and older have CHD, which is about 5% of the adult population.

Economic Impact: Heart disease and stroke cost the U.S. healthcare system $233.3 billion per year in direct medical costs, with an additional $184.6 billion in lost productivity on the job, according to the CDC (2025). These figures span healthcare services, medications, and the economic toll of missed and reduced work — making cardiovascular disease one of the most expensive health conditions facing American employers and employees today.

Awareness Gap: Despite its prevalence, more than half of U.S. adults (51%) are unaware that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country — an awareness gap that might impact their willingness to get health screenings.

The Cost of Avoiding Care: When employees don't engage with their health plan, the consequences extend beyond their own well-being. According to the CDC, absenteeism costs U.S. employers approximately $225.8 billion per year in lost productivity — much of which stems from untreated or undetected chronic conditions like heart disease.

The first signs of heart disease

As you familiarize yourself with the early symptoms of heart disease, you can better identify when to seek care. A primary care physician can offer a personalized treatment plan to relieve symptoms before they become life-threatening.

Some of the initial signs of heart problems can include:

Difficulty Breathing: Shortness of breath may occur due to the heart's inability to pump the necessary amount of blood throughout the body. This blood can get backed up in the veins and arteries, causing excess fluid to spill into your lungs, making each breath feel strained. You may have a tough time breathing during times of high activity or while lying on your back.

Pain in the Chest: Chest pain is one of the most common signs of heart trouble and, according to the American Heart Association, a symptom of an oncoming heart attack. Chest pain can also be a sign of something unrelated to heart disease, so it is best to seek medical advice from your primary care physician immediately. Angina, for example, is a type of chest pain that comes from improper blood flow to the heart. Whether mild or crushing, sharp or burning, chest pain indicates the body is reacting to blood flow complications near the heart.

Fatigue: This symptom occurs more commonly in women rather than men. However, everyone is susceptible to fatigue as a sign of cardiovascular failure and other heart-related conditions. If you are feeling more fatigued than usual, you should visit your doctor to assess whether your sudden weakness could be a result of an imminent heart attack.

Sudden Swelling: Swelling is an indicator that your blood is not flowing optimally. Heart problems often occur when blood flow is impacted by a clog, preventing it from traveling to other parts of your body. Your extremities — such as your arms and legs — are typically the first to experience the symptoms of swelling. This swelling can also travel to your stomach or abdomen, causing newfound weight gain that may indicate circulatory issues.

Heart Palpitations: When the heart can't pump blood efficiently, it may try to increase blood flow by beating faster. This can cause palpitations that result in a throbbing feeling in the chest. Heart palpitations can be an indicator of a condition known as atrial fibrillation, although it may also be your body's response to stress. It can feel as though your heartbeats are irregular, which may affect your breathing as well.

These symptoms can appear simultaneously or individually. If these symptoms occur, it's recommended that you visit your primary physician for a health screening right away.

Take a preventive approach with heart health screening

Upon recognizing the early signs of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, it's important to schedule a health screening with a primary care physician. Your primary care physician may refer you to a heart specialist for further treatment. Depending on the type of heart condition and the severity of symptoms present, medications may be prescribed to reverse some of the most pressing effects on your heart health.

Members of the employer-sponsored Curative Health Plan can access comprehensive services like health screenings as soon as they join. Members receive $0 out-of-pocket costs for covered services and preferred prescriptions, maintained with the completion of a Baseline Visit within your first 120 days of coverage.

The Baseline Visit is a two-part virtual appointment — first with a Curative Care Navigator, then with a Curative Clinician — designed to help members make the most of their plan from day one. During the visit, you'll work with your Care Navigator to tailor an individualized, preventive care plan and identify areas of opportunity and potential problems from the start of the plan. Members leave with a better understanding of their plan, the Member Portal, and how to access the right resources through our easy-to-navigate Provider Search.

And because untreated or unrecognized conditions like heart disease tend to worsen over time, catching warning signs early — through the very kind of preventive visit Curative is designed to facilitate — remains one of the most powerful tools available to members. According to a 2023 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, nearly 60% of Americans reported difficulty with their insurance coverage, and 15% said their health declined as a result. Curative is built to eliminate those barriers.

There's so much more that comes with a Curative plan:

No-hassle meds: Curative members can access the Curative Drug Formulary, offering $0 drug options — 97% of available medications are covered at Tier 1, including many common heart medications. Prescriptions can be filled at any in-network pharmacy, or through the Curative Pharmacy with rapid delivery.

Mental health resources: Members can access $0 therapy from therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists included in the Provider Search. Remote therapy is available through partnerships listed in the Member Portal. The Curative Cash Card offers a convenient payment option for mental health providers who do not take insurance, expanding the network.

Telehealth: 24/7/365 telehealth access is available through Curative Telehealth. Members can receive $0 telemedicine care in under 10 minutes via messaging, audio, or video chat.

Resources

Luo F, et al. JAMA Network Open, March 2023 — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10011934/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 24). Heart disease facts & statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, July 25). Atrial fibrillation (AFib). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16765-atrial-fibrillation-afib

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, August 12). Heart palpitations and anxiety. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21677-heart-palpitations-and-anxiety

American Heart Association. (2024, January 4). More than half of U.S. adults don't know heart disease is leading cause of death, despite 100-year reign. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-dont-know-heart-disease-is-leading-cause-of-death-despite-100-year-reign

New York State Department of Health. (2024, March). Heart disease and stroke prevention. https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cardiovascular/heart_disease/

Heart.org. (2024, December 12). Warning signs of a heart attack. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack

Mayo Clinic. (2024, March 22). Angina: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/angina/symptoms-causes/syc-20369373

Mayo Clinic. (2024, June 14). Coronary artery disease: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronary-artery-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350613

Mayo Clinic. (2024, August 13). Heart disease: Symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353118

WebMD. (2023, May 15). Understanding heart disease symptoms. https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/understanding-heart-disease-symptoms

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Absenteeism costs employers $225.8 billion per year. Referenced in: Curative. (2025, July 9). How a Baseline Visit model can drive healthcare engagement. https://curative.com/blog/baseline-model-healthcare-engagement

KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). (2023). Insurance coverage difficulty survey findings. Referenced in: Curative. Care navigators are here to keep you healthy. https://curative.com/blog/care-navigators-are-here-to-keep-you-healthy

Curative. (2025, December 2). A letter from our CEO on Curative's $150M Series B fundraise. https://curative.com/blog/ceo-letter-curative-series-b-fundraise