Injuries to the heart are uncommon in peacetime, yet they result in life-threatening conditions, which makes timely diagnostics a crucial factor in saving patients' lives. In this connection, it is important to define the main signs of heart injuries. This study aimed to analyze the basic clinical symptoms associated with various wounds to the heart. We have retrospectively analyzed such symptoms registered in 86 patients with varying chest injuries that affect the heart. All patients were treated in the emergency surgery unit of the Engels Town Hospital from 1991 to 2017. 41 (47.6%) patient had stab wounds, and there were 45 (52.3%) cases of gunshot wounds. 23 (26.7%) patients had chest injuries affecting heart exclusively, while for 63 (73.2%) the consequences were wounds to other organs. We found that the clinical picture depends on the kind of injury to the heart: stab and slash wounds translate into more pronounced symptoms, while gunshot wounds do not produce such an effect. Accepting patients, practitioners should take this fact into account. The misdiagnosis rate for stab and slash heart wounds is 9.7%, that for gunshot wounds — 17.7%, the latter being the result of vagueness of the clinical picture. The clinical signs are most pronounced in the cases of stab and slash wounds to the heart.