Shortness of Breath

It is not uncommon see patients for assessment of shortness of breath. Shortness of breath on exertion if often due to heart or lung problems. Shortness of breath may also be due to lack of physical fitness. Less commonly shortness of breath with exertion is due to severe anaemia or an excessively fast thyroid gland.

Shortness of breath on exertion may be caused by

• Lack of physical fitness
• Disorders of the heart
  • Weakness of the main pumping chamber of the heart
  • Abnormal function of the heart valves
  • Abnormal increased stiffness of the main pumping chamber of the heart
  • Excessively fast or slow heart beat
    
    When shortness of breath develops as a result of any of these abnormalities, we might make a diagnosis of "heart failure"!
• Disorders of the lungs
  • Abnormalities of the breathing tubes- can be due to asthma or smoking related damage
  • Abnormalites of the lung tissue interfering with the uptake of oxygen and/or causing increased stiffness of the lungs
  • Abnormalites of the chest wall or the diaphragms interfering with normal expansion of the lungs.
• Disorders not related to the heart or lungs, examples include
  • Anaemia
  • An excessively fast thyroid gland
  • Any severe disorder of the any of the major organs of the body can result in shortness of breath with exertion.

Dr Hitesh Patel
Cardiologist
April, 2007