Shortness of breath is a common symptom associated with a vast array of conditions. However, when it comes to cardiovascular issues, it is most often a result of some condition that causes hampered or irregular blood flow and heartbeat, often due to some type of blood vessel or arterial issue. When the blood flow is disturbed as is the flow of oxygen. Some of the conditions in which shortness of breath occurs most frequently include:
Cardiomyopathy
A condition which affects the heart muscle, making it far more difficult for the heart to pump blood to other areas of the body. As a result of this lack of blood flow, many areas of the body grow depleted of oxygen, often causing breathlessness and a constant cough. In the most severe cases cardiomyopathy can even lead to heart failure.
Heart Arrythmia
An arrhythmia is a rhythm problem within the heart that occurs when the electrical impulses which coordinate our heartbeats begin to malfunction causing the heart to beat far too fast, slow, or just irregular overall. This irregular heartbeat can by caused by a weakened or damaged heart, and cause irregular blood flow. Often times the fluttering or stuttering of the heartbeat can lead to shortness of breath overall.
Pericarditis
This condition is characterized by the swelling and irritation of the pericardium, the thin sac, membrane which surrounds the heart. This condition is known to cause frequent chest pains and angina, as well as a number of other symptoms. Due to this issue patients will often experience shortness of breath as well as disturbed blood flow, and in essence, breathing.
Heart Failure
Also known as congestive heart failure, this condition occurs when the heart muscle ceases to pump blood as well as it should be. Heart failure is often the result of the narrowing of the arteries in the heart, coronary artery disease, the narrowing of all the arteries in the body, atherosclerosis, or severely high blood pressure left unchecked or untreated. Over time the heart will weaken to the point at which it becomes far too stiff to pump blood efficiently enough to keep up with the demands of the body.
