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Shortness of breath. When feeling out of puff underlies heart issues

Writer's picture: Pierluigi CostanzoPierluigi Costanzo


Guess what, shortness of breath is more common than you think. It can affect anyone at any age.

It is the feeling of not being able to get enough air into your lungs, and can be very frightening and uncomfortable.

Most of the times it is not related to health issues and it is due to being not active enough, being overweight. Some other times we feel we cannot get enough air in, this is common when we are going through stressful periods in life.


When do you need to worry then?

Certainly, if you suddenly feel out of puff and feels out of the ordinary, then you need to call urgent medical help! 111 or even 999.


If your shortness of breath is limiting your normal activities (like running, exercising, climbing stairs, carrying your toddler or even walking) then you should start thinking making an appointment with a doctor as there might be underlying health issues.


Most of the times asthma and other lung conditions (especially you smoke) can explain the shortness of breath.

Some other times, heart can be the cause of shortness of breath. In essence, the heart might not be able to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body.

This condition often results in fluid buildup in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.

An echocardiogram is a very useful tool for diagnosing heart failure as it can assess how well the heart is pumping and detect any structural and heart valves abnormalities.

You can book an echocardiogram here at My Heart.



Failure of the heart pump ("Heart Failure") can be caused by various causes which can affect every components of the heart. From the muscle itself ("cardiomyopathy"), to the heart valves (flaps that open and close with each heartbeat to control the direction of blood flow through the heart), to the heart arteries ("coronaries") and to the electrical system of the heart ("rhythm"); anything can cause a failure in the pumping function of the heart.


Depending on what is the cause leading to a heart pump failure, other symptoms might be present.

If the heart arteries ("coronaries") are involved, it means that the heart muscle is not receive enough blood supply. Hence sometimes you would also feel chest discomfort on top of the shortness of breath.

An echocardiogram (which you can book here) can identify areas of the heart muscle not moving properly, this would be a sign that there is a lack of blood supply (hence, an issue with the heart arteries).

A 24 or 48hours ECG monitor (which you can book here and receive it home quickly anywhere in UK) can identify suspicious arrhythmias (abnormalities of the heart rhythm) which sometimes are a sign of narrowing of the heart arteries.


At My Heart we can help you obtaining an ECG monitor, an echocardiogram or a cardiology consultation. You can book directly by clicking here or calling 01223 782462 or emailing info@myheartuk.com



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