Home › Knowledge Base › Breathlessness
Breathlessness: Heart-Related Causes
Key Facts
- Difficulty in breathing is a common sensation and can be normal if you over exert, but can also be suggestive of an underlying medical problem.
- Many conditions that affect the heart and its capacity to move blood through the lungs can lead to shortness of breath.
- Congestive heart failure (left ventricular dysfunction) is an important cause of breathlessness because the heart muscle is too weak or stiff to pump blood effectively.
Difficulty in breathing is a common sensation and can be normal if you over exert, but can also be suggestive of an underlying medical problem. Many conditions that affect the heart and its capacity to move blood through the lungs can lead to shortness of breath. Common examples include:
- A ‘silent’ heart attack in which shortness of breath rather than chest pain is the main problem.
- Congestive heart failure (left ventricular dysfunction) is an important cause of breathlessness because the heart muscle is too weak or stiff to pump blood effectively.
- Heart valve diseases
- Heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation.
Speak with our cardiologists
Consult the specialists at The Harley Street Heart & Vascular Centre.
Farrer Park · Novena · Napier Road · Mount Elizabeth
Reviewed by the clinical team at The Harley Street Heart & Vascular Centre. This page is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice.