How Your Heart Can Affect Your Breathing

You usually breathe in and out a thousand times a day and hardly give it a thought until you have breathing problems. It is important for you to know that breathing problems can be as a result of heart and lung conditions. However, to understand it better it is vitally important to know the connection of heart and breathing.

Connection of heart and breathing

Your lungs and heart are involved in the transport of oxygen to body tissues and removal of carbon (IV) oxide, and problems with either your heart or lungs can affect your breathing. Your blood from body tissues passes through your heart where it is pumped to the lungs for oxygenation and excretion of carbon (IV) oxide (pulmonary loop). Oxygenated blood is then brought to the heart so as it is pumped to the rest of the body (Systemic loop).

Heart Conditions that Affect Breathing
Below are some heart problems that may affect your breathing:

1.      Respiratory/Cardiac Arrest

If the functioning of your lungs stops, the condition is called respiratory arrest. Respiratory arrest can eventually cause your heart to stop as well. Conversely, if your heart stops, the condition is called cardiac arrest and may also cause your lungs to stop functioning. Cardiac and respiratory arrest may be caused by conditions such as:

o   Apnea

o   Lung disease

o   suffocation

2.       Tachycardia

This is a condition where your heart beats at a high rate. In a normal or healthy adult, heart rate is usually more than 100 beats per minute. There are several kinds of tachycardia, but the one that causes breathing problems is called atrial tachycardia or SVT. In atrial tachycardia, your heart rate becomes high as a result of malfunctioning electrical signals. In case you have atrial tachycardia and you experience breathing problems, you should seek immediate medical attention. Your doctor or cardiologist may recommend some things that can help treat or prevent the condition such as drinking less alcohol, drinking less coffee, and quitting smoking.

3.       Heart Failure

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is also a heart condition that can affect your breathing. Even if “failure” is used in naming the condition, it doesn’t mean that your heart stops beating. It simply means that the beating of your heat is weak. Breath shortness and a feeling of fatigue are the major signs of congestive heart failure. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a person with heart failure begins to breathe heavily since the lungs struggle to supply the body with more oxygen. Apart from carrying oxygen to the body cells, your blood also carries excess fluids and toxins. Heart failure therefore causes buildup of fluid in different parts of the body such as the lungs, feet, legs, and ankles. As a result, swelling may be experienced in the places of fluid buildup.

During early stages of congestive heart failure, you may experience problem with breathing after exercise, walking across a room or when getting dressed. But as your heart becomes weaker, you may experience breathlessness even after lying down. You should see the doctor if you experience such as condition to get medicine and treatments that can help.

4.       Cor Pulmonale

This is a condition of the heart that is caused by high blood pressure in pulmonary artery. High blood pressure of the pulmonary artery is called pulmonary hypertension. Prolonged pulmonary hypertension can put a lot of stress or strain on the heart making it hard to attain a proper pulmonary loop or circulation. When your heart’s right ventricle is unable to handle pumping against the unusual pressure, the condition is referred to as Cor Pulmonale. Cor pulmonale is usually caused by chronic lung conditions such as apnea, cystic fibrosis and COPD.

5.       Pulmonary Edema

Pulmonary edema is a condition that is characterized by extra fluid in your lungs, a condition that makes it difficult for one to breathe. Pulmonary edema is a condition that is caused by heart problems. In a condition where your heart is damaged or ill, it is unable to pump enough of the blood that comes from the lungs. When this happens, pressure builds up in the heart, pushing fluid into the air sacs of the lungs. You may experiencebreathing problems all of a sudden or they may come over time.

You should seek medical attention in case you experience the following:

·         If you have trouble breathing that gets worse even after lying down

·         Have gray or blue skin color

·         Feel like you’re drowning or gasping for breath

·         If your cough produces bloody mucus

·         If your heartbeat gets faster or irregular

6.       Cardiomyopathy

This is a very serious condition with the cardiac muscles that makes it hard for the heart to pump blood and attain a systemic loop or circulation. There are many types of cardiomyopathy that may be caused by diabetes, cancer treatment, or heat attack. Other causes of cardiomyopathy include too much alcohol, high blood pressure, and excess body weight.

7.       Arrhythmia

Your heart usually speeds up for a few beats when you inhale and slow down when you exhale. This is called sinus and means that your heart is beating normally. An abnormal rhythm of the heart is called arrhythmia and may cause breathing problems. According to statistics, about 4 million people in the U.S. have arrhythmia.

8.       Heart Attack

This is a heart condition that occurs when blood vessels leading to the heart are blocked, preventing blood rich in oxygen from reaching the cardiac muscles. This condition injures the heart muscles due to lack of oxygen,causing their cells to die. Breath shortness is one symptom or sign of a heart attack

9.       Congenital Disease

Congenital diseases are medical conditions one is born with. Some congenital diseases may affect your heart and alter the breathing process. Congenital heart disease is an example of a disease that is responsible for deaths in early life as a result of shortness of breath.
The Bottom Line

Whatever the cause of your breathing problems, you should take the issue as a serious one. You should tell your doctor to identify the cause in order to get proper medication or treatment.