Dorothy FarrarAsthma cardiac
Cardiac asthma describes shortness of breath caused by heart disease. This is a so-called left-sided heart failure, which leads to a reduced heart pumping capacity. In contrast to bronchial asthma, the lungs are not affected by this symptom.
What is cardiac asthma?
The physician does not use the term asthma cardiale to describe a disease, but ultimately describes a symptom that is caused by the disease. Cardiac asthma is equated with shortness of breath and dry cough .
In contrast to bronchial asthma, the origin of asthma cardiale is not a weakness of the lungs, but the so-called heart failure. Cardiac asthma is not a disease in the strict sense, but a side effect of a disease.
causes
Cardiac asthma is a symptom of heart failure – the so-called cardiac insufficiency. The reasons for this are extensive. Older people in particular suffer from heart failure and cardiac asthma, as the heart becomes weaker with age.Acute diseases such as heart attacks or inflammation of the heart muscle are also causes of cardiac asthma. However, heart failure also occurs in younger people. Drugs are also primarily responsible for cardiac asthma. The heart muscle is weakened by taking the medication, and cardiac asthma is the result.
In cardiac asthma, there is an inflow of oxygen and an outflow of oxygen, but this is impeded, resulting in shortness of breath. A dry cough also occurs and the patients “wheeze” when exhaling. Many patients also complain of constant tiredness such as exhaustion and a feeling of suffocation.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms:
Patients with cardiac asthma suffer from a severe cough that occurs mainly at night. People with cardiac asthma suffer from shortness of breath and often make abnormal breathing sounds. Patients also complain of a feeling of suffocation, the fear that they are suffocating and also complain of foamy sputum when coughing.
The more severe the cardiac insufficiency and the more pronounced the cardiac asthma, the more intense and frequent the patient complains about the multitude of symptoms.
When to the doctor?
If you experience persistent shortness of breath, shortness of breath or gasping, which cannot be attributed to physical exertion or sporting overload, you must consult a doctor. Fatigue, tachycardia and dizziness are symptoms that need to be clarified by a doctor. If the altered breathing causes insomnia or a feeling of general weakness, a doctor’s visit is necessary.
If you are tired or have trouble concentrating, you need to see a doctor. Disorders of the heart rhythm that last for several days must be examined by a doctor, as other diseases can occur. If the person concerned is afraid of suffocating due to the reduced oxygen supply, they should consult a doctor in good time. The risk of an anxiety disorder or a panic attack increases significantly without treatment. Coughing irritation or continuous coughing that is not based on a cold or tobacco use should be clarified by a doctor.
Many sufferers of cardiac asthma develop foamy sputum while coughing. A doctor’s visit is necessary immediately to initiate further investigations. If unusual noises are heard when breathing, they should be presented to a doctor. If everyday processes can no longer be carried out and managed in the usual way due to the symptoms, a doctor must be consulted.
Diagnose
The doctor makes the diagnosis of asthma cardiale based on anamnesis. This means that the patient first reports on his symptoms. Typical indications of cardiac insufficiency are the patient tiring quickly, a change in breathing rate, constant coughing, urination at night and constant weight gain .
The patient also usually complains of tachycardia; Cardiac arrhythmias are also a sign of cardiac insufficiency and associated cardiac asthma. Edema in the legs and rattling noises in the lungs when inhaling are also signs that the patient is suffering from heart failure.
Further clarifying measures are the application of the ECG as well as examinations of the heart. The doctor makes the diagnosis based on the ECG recorder and thus determines whether it is a case of cardiac insufficiency. The further the heart failure has progressed, the more intense are the symptoms – including cardiac asthma. A blood test can also be requested, which under certain circumstances also shows whether the patient has cardiac insufficiency with cardiac asthma or not.
complications
Cardiac asthma, a symptom of left ventricular failure, can be associated with the following complications. The existing cardiac insufficiency can thus develop into acute cardiac arrhythmia. In the presence of chronic cardiac asthma, scar tissue can form in the lungs. Complete inhalation is hardly possible.
Due to the shortness of breath, those affected have to breathe deeper and faster. Fluid can also leak into the lungs due to backed-up blood. Depending on the extent, this can cause pulmonary edema , which can become inflamed and lead to pneumonia. In the worst case, there is respiratory insufficiency, the complete failure of the lungs. This means that not enough oxygen can be taken in and carbon dioxide can be given off.
Bronchospasm, in which the muscles that surround the airways cramp, often occurs. This can result in an obstruction (increase in breathing resistance). The increased pressure in the blood vessels often leads to edema (water retention) and open wounds in the lower leg area. Then there is talk of an open leg.
treatment and therapy
The treatment of asthma cardiale as a symptom of classic heart failure can be treated relatively well. In acute cases, the doctor will administer a diuretic such as furosemide. This remedy drives the resulting and stored water, which is responsible for cardiac asthma, out of the body. This relieves the circulatory system in the lungs and reduces the edema in the lungs. This allows the patient to breathe freely; cardiac asthma is defeated for the first time.
In the long term, however, removing the edema is not an option for the patient. Thus, the cardiac insufficiency is combated by means of step therapy. Beta blockers also improve the patient’s situation, since the function of the heart muscle can be significantly improved here. During therapy, it is particularly important that the patient undergoes regular medical check-ups.
Serious diseases (life-threatening developments) can only be prevented if the heart muscle and the asthma cardiale are examined again and again. It is often advisable if diet and lifestyle changes are also made.
prevention
It is important not to let cardiac asthma develop at all. The patient can prevent cardiac insufficiency and the resulting cardiac asthma relatively well, especially at a young age.One way is to watch your diet and exercise. Obesity and an unhealthy diet are two factors that promote heart failure and the associated cardiac asthma.
Nicotine and alcohol also promote cardiac asthma. The patient should also have regular health checks so that the doctor examines the heart. In this way, any signs can be recognized and an outbreak of the disease can be prevented.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.