State of the Science: The Relevance of Symptoms in Cardiovascular Disease and Research: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract

Symptoms of cardiovascular disease drive health care use and are a major contributor to quality of life. Symptoms are of fundamental significance not only to the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and appraisal of response to medical therapy but also directly to patients’ daily lives. The primary purpose of this scientific statement is to present the state of the science and relevance of symptoms associated with cardiovascular disease. Symptoms as patient-reported outcomes are reviewed in terms of the genesis, manifestation, and similarities or differences between diagnoses. Specifically, symptoms associated with acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, valvular disorders, stroke, rhythm disorders, and peripheral vascular disease are reviewed. Secondary aims include (1) describing symptom measurement methods in research and application in clinical practice and (2) describing the importance of cardiovascular disease symptoms in terms of clinical events and other patient-reported outcomes as applicable.