Symptoms of coronary artery disease can be classical, such as chest pain, or atypical, such as pain in the jaw or teeth.

A systemic disease, arterial sclerosis does not affect just vessels in the heart. Indications of blocked arteries can be found throughout the body. For example, patients can develop arterial plaque in the carotid arteries of the neck, which feed the brain. Physicians can detect these blockages using a variety of techniques, including ultrasound or MRA. They can also uncover them during the physical exam by listening through the stethoscope for changes in the noise from the artery wall. Other patients may experience leg fatigue or pain stemming from arterial disease. Usually located in the calf muscle, these leg pains are related to walking or other exercise, and respond to rest. Such pains differ from the leg cramps people commonly experience at night or at rest. Physicians listening through a stethoscope can pick up the arterial blockages that cause this pain as a turbulent noise in groin arteries. Impotency has also been associated with this disease. The condition has been abbreviated as PAD or peripheral arterial disease and is a poor prognostic indicator.

During the physical examination, the brachial-ankle or BA Index may reveal blockages through differing pressures in the arms and legs. Patients who have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) often suffer from arterial disease. TIAs manifest as a temporary loss of vision, an inability to speak, or feelings of paralysis that disappear within 24 hours. Patients who have TIAs face an increased risk of experiencing a full stroke.