Medically Reviewed by Brian P. Wall, MD

McLeod Cardiologist Dr. Brian Wall explains some of the significant heart issues that can cause difficulty breathing and how patients can help manage their symptoms. 

’Heart failure’ is a term we use to describe a group of symptoms, which includes shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, especially when lying flat. Another symptom is swelling, as it can occur in the legs and in the abdomen region as well, and that swelling in turn can affect the way one breathes.

‘Tachycardia’ means a high heart rate. There are two types of tachycardia; supraventricular tachycardia is when your regular heartbeat beats faster than 100 beats per minute. Sometimes we see this in individuals who have an overactive thyroid. The second is ventricular tachycardia. Certain medications or recreational drugs can cause this rapid, irregular heart rate.

There are specific types of elevated heart rates or tachycardias, which are from irregular or abnormal rhythms. Examples of those would be atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. They can, as a result, cause shortness of breath and fatigue.

Pulmonary edema can be associated with heart failure. It can also be associated with high blood pressure. That’s when fluid accumulates in the lung itself. When that occurs, the ability for the lungs to exchange oxygen is diminished and can cause shortness of breath.

‘Cardiomyopathy’ is the term we use to describe a heart which is enlarged or larger than its normal size. It can also mean that the walls of the heart are thicker than they should be. Those symptoms are very similar to what we see in heart failure, which is shortness of breath, swelling in the legs or abdominal area, and difficulty with exerting oneself, such as doing yard work and chores around the house.

When I talk with patients about heart problems, we normally review their genetic factors, and then we discuss their environmental factors. If you have a family history or a propensity in your family to have heart attacks, and you smoke and eat fast food rather than a healthy diet, you’re more likely to have a heart attack.

There are also certain things we can do from an environmental standpoint to help prevent heart problems from occurring. That includes getting the normal amount of sleep as well as exercising on a daily basis. Many times when we use the word ‘exercise,’ people immediately think they have to go sign up at a local gym for a membership. But that is not really what we’re talking about. People just simply need to get off the couch. Walking around can be done in your house; people should try to walk at least 20 – 25 minutes per day, whether that’s all at one time or cumulative over the course of the day. Other controllable factors would be not smoking nor taking recreational drugs.

To learn more, speak with a cardiologist near you.