2023-05-18 09:03:58
11:57 p.m
Thursday, May 18, 2023
I wrote – Nada Sami
Cardiac asthma is a term used to describe asthma-like symptoms that can occur with left-sided heart failure, a condition in which the lower chamber is unable to pump blood efficiently, which can cause respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath and wheezing, and can therefore easily be confused with and between asthma.
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The Consulto reviews, in the following report, the difference between asthma and heart failure, according to Medical News Today.
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Symptoms of cardiac asthma
Respiratory symptoms of left ventricular heart failure can mimic those of asthma, especially in the early stages of the disease, and may include:
Chest wheezing.
– sadness.
– cough.
– shortness of breath.
– cough.
For some people, respiratory symptoms of heart failure may be the first or most prominent symptom, but more often they occur along with other symptoms, some of which may be due to other causes, including:
Chronic fatigue.
Constant feeling of weakness.
Shortness of breath when lying down or exercising.
Unexpected weight gain with fluid retention.
Decreased appetite or nausea.
– edema.
Difficulty concentrating.
Rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Increased need to urinate at night.
Such symptoms, especially persistent or worsening symptoms, could indicate the presence of something other than asthma.
The most vulnerable group to cardiac asthma
Cardiac asthma is particularly common in older adults, nearly a third of whom experience wheezing when first diagnosed.
Asthma attacks tend to develop and end abruptly, and most people recover completely without lasting effects. The chronic, progressive nature of heart failure is such that symptoms, such as shortness of breath, cough, and fatigue, may improve for a short time, but will almost always persist until appropriate treatment is received.
Also read: What is occupational asthma and how is it treated?
What is congestive heart failure?
Left-sided heart failure occurs when decreased cardiac output causes fluid to build up in the body. This can manifest in the lungs with breathing problems, as the tiny airways and alveoli in the lungs begin to fill with fluid.
While these effects may seem similar to those that occur with asthma, they are due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
Certain risk factors also differentiate the two diseases. In general, heart failure often occurs with other chronic health conditions, such as:
– hypertension.
Diabetes.
Obesity.
– smoking.
Coronary heart disease.
Previous heart attack or heart injury.
heart rhythm disturbances
Heart valve problems.
How can the difference between asthma and heart failure?
Since the symptoms of cardiac asthma mimic those of true asthma, misdiagnosis is possible, and a review of risk factors, medical history, and non-respiratory symptoms can suggest other possibilities.
Even if the initial symptoms point to a possible asthma diagnosis, evaluating lung sounds with a stethoscope can often differentiate between asthma and other conditions, such as heart failure.
In left-sided heart failure, popping-like sounds can often be heard when air tries to pass through the fluid-filled airways. There may also be what is known as a “third heart sound”, where the two normal beats of the heart are accompanied by a vibrating noise, as the ventricle fills with blood .
These sounds are not characteristic of asthma, and usually the sounds of thoracic asthma are limited to the wheezing that may occur during exhalation, and usually when the two problems are suspected, the doctor orders a number of tests and examinations that include:
Lung function tests.
Echocardiogram, which is a noninvasive ultrasound test that can visualize how well the heart is pumping blood.
Electrocardiogram, used to measure electrical impulses during heartbeat, to detect irregular heartbeats.
– Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart.
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