The simple answer to this question is – both! Both heart and lung conditions can cause shortness of breath, technically called dyspnea. However, there are other conditions also which can cause dyspnea. So let’s know more about this condition.
The heart and lung functions are closely interrelated. The heart must constantly deliver blood to the lungs where the blood is purified and sent back to the heart. The heart then pumps oxygen-rich blood to all cells of the body. A disruption anywhere in this process can trigger dyspnea, either in the long or short run.
While high altitudes, impure air, intense activity and obesity can make breathing difficult for anybody, this is a temporary problem that goes away when these parameters are removed. Its only when the problem occurs without these parameters being present that one should be concerned.
Chronic dyspnea is when the condition has been persisting for several months, although not very severe in nature. Acute dyspnea is when the condition is short-term but very intense.
Causes of Acute dyspnea
- Allergies: An allergic attack, also called Anaphylaxis
- Anxiety: People with anxiety issues can suffer from hyperventilation (rapid, heavy breathing) and dyspnea once in a while
- Choking: A foreign object or a piece of food stuck in the throat can make breathing difficult and trigger dyspnea.
- Pulmonary embolism: A blood clot in the lungs
- Pneumothorax or collapsed lung
- Heart attack: Blockages in the heart can stop blood flow to the lungs triggering dyspnea
- Arrhythmia or irregular heart beat
- Infection: Infections like bronchitis or pneumonia can cause accumulation of mucous or phlegm in the airways making breathing difficult, eventually triggering dyspnea.
- Injury: Broken ribs, and injuries to the chest region can cause bleeding, blood loss and hence anemia. Anemia in turn triggers dyspnea.
- Medication: Medicines that reduce fat in the blood or beta-blockers given to reduce high BP in asthma patients can cause a squeezed feeling in the chest, and trigger dyspnea
- Cardiac tamponade or excess fluid around the heart
- Covid-19 infection
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Extreme weather: Very hot and very cold temperature can make breathing difficult, triggering dyspnea in some people.
Causes of Chronic dyspnea
- Asthma: Asthma causes narrowing of the airways which can make breathing difficult and eventually cause dyspnea
- Heart failure: In a heart failure, blood does not fill up or empty from the chambers of the heart properly. In the lungs, this causes fluid to accumulate. This makes breathing difficult, triggering dyspnea.
- Lung disease: Lung conditions such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and lung cancer, can also cause dyspnea
- Obesity: In overweight people, the heart and lungs are strained constantly, leading to dyspnea in the long run
- Illness: Various illnesses and inactivity caused by them can make the lungs inefficient and hence cause breathlessness.
Conditions that make breathing difficult
Shortness of breath is the condition where the person feels his breath is coming in spasms or short bursts. Its easily recognizable by anybody. But in addition to this, there are many conditions in which breathing is difficult, and if left untreated, can develop in to dyspnea eventually. These are:
- Croup, a lung condition that is common in children
- Tuberculosis, a bacterial infection of the lungs
- Pulmonary fibrosis which manifests as scarred and damaged lungs
- Pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the lungs and chest cavity
- Sarcoidosis, a condition in which inflammatory cells accumulate all over the body
- Pulmonary edema, which shows up as excess fluid in the lungs
- Pulmonary hypertension, a type of high BP that affects arteries of the lungs and right side of the heart
- Pericarditis – an inflammation of the pericardium, a sac like structure that holds the heart
- Cardiomyopathy – a condition of the heart muscle which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood
- Guillain-Barre syndrome – an auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves
- Myasthenia gravis – breakdown of communication between the nerves and muscles which causes muscle weakness
- Epiglottitis – a dangerous condition in which the epiglottis, a small cartilage lid for the windpipe gets inflamed
- Kyphoscoliosis – a deformity of the thoracic cage or chest wall that causes constriction in the lungs
Diagnosis
If you or any of your near ones are displaying symptoms of dyspnea, rush to a reputed hospital. A general physician, or cardiologist or pulmonologist will conduct the following tests to diagnose the precise cause and severity of your condition. These include:
- Physical exam: The doctor will record temperature and any other signs that may indicate fever or viral infection
- Pulse oximetry: A finger sensor is used to see how much oxygen is there in the blood.
- Imaging tests – such as chest X-ray or CT scan that will look for heart or lung conditions that may be causing the dyspnea.
- Blood tests: These will confirm or rule out anemia and any kind of infection
- Lung function tests: These will record how good the breathing is
- Cardiopulmonary exercise tests: The person will work out on a treadmill or stationary bike. The volume of oxygen taken in and carbon dioxide let out during the work out will indicate how well the heart and lungs are performing
Treatment
- Medication: Always the first mode of treatment for acute dyspnea. Inhaled drugs called bronchodilators are used for asthmatics and those suffering from COPD. Thee will relax the airways and improve breathing. Medication can also be given to relieve pain, anxiety or high BP that may be causing breathlessness.
- Oxygen therapy: A healthcare professional will record oxygen level in the blood. If the level is too low, the person is given extra oxygen through a mask or tube fitted on to the nostrils. This will improve the breathing and alleviate dyspnea.
- Exercise: The ideal treatment for people suffering from chronic dyspnea. The person is put on an exercise regime that will improve his/her physical fitness, heart and lung functions. This will prevent the person from feeling easily tired or breathless during activity. The trainer may also teach better breathing techniques.
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.
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