The heart has an important function: it pumps the blood in our body. This ensures that all tissues and organs are supplied with oxygen-rich blood. The heart works closely with the lungs: oxygen is delivered from the lungs to the blood. When the heart has difficulty pumping this blood from the lungs to the heart, all kinds of complaints arise. Fatigue is a first symptom of heart weakness. When the left side of the heart is weakened, cardiac asthma or cardiac asthma often occurs. The symptoms are somewhat similar to regular asthma, hence the name. It is remarkable that sitting upright reduces the complaints. Treatment is necessary for cardiac asthma.
What is cardiac asthma?
Cardiac asthma is also called cardiac asthma. It is a condition that occurs when the heart gets into trouble and can no longer pump blood from the lungs properly. This always has an underlying cause. Cardiac asthma is therefore not a disease itself, but a clinical picture or symptom.
Cause
Cardiac asthma should not be confused with asthma. The latter concerns a narrowing of the bronchi (airways). Cardiac asthma occurs when the heart is diseased and no longer has sufficient pumping function. We also call this heart weakness or congestive heart failure. Heart weakness can be caused by, for example, high blood pressure or a myocardial infarction (death of heart tissue due to a lack of oxygen). But heart weakness can also be caused by disease of the heart valves or the heart muscle itself. When heart weakness develops suddenly, it is caused by a myocardial infarction.
Both the left side of the heart and the right side of the heart can be weakened. When the left side of the heart is weakened, weakening of the right side of the heart often also occurs after a while. Weakening of the left side of the heart often causes cardiac asthma.
Symptoms
Heart weakness is initially noticeable due to fatigue, especially during exertion. Later, fatigue also occurs without exertion. When lying down there is certainly the feeling of labored breathing. When sitting upright, that feeling disappears again.
Cardiac asthma occurs because the left side of the heart can no longer pump blood from the lungs sufficiently. As a result, excess fluid remains in the blood vessels of the lungs and flows from the blood vessels into the lungs. This brings with it various complaints. During the day the complaints are not too bad. The blood is drawn from the lungs to the heart due to gravity. Any fluid accumulation (edema) is also drawn towards the legs.
The complaints start in a lying position. This is often a few hours after lying down, especially at night. Too much fluid remains in the blood vessels of the lungs in this position. This is caused by the fact that the lying position does not draw blood from the lungs to the heart. More blood also flows from the (lower) body to the heart, causing it to become overloaded. Too much fluid accumulates in the lungs. Shortness of breath and shortness of breath are consequences of this. Sometimes a rumbling sound occurs because the airways become narrowed.
In severe cases, pulmonary edema occurs. The blood vessels in the lungs are then damaged due to increased pressure in the veins. Fluid leaks from the damaged blood vessels, which will be between the alveoli and the tissue between the blood vessels. This makes it more difficult for oxygen to be delivered to the blood. This makes breathing difficult. More and more carbon dioxide will enter the blood and the oxygen level will decrease. Breathing is whistling and coughing will often occur. This coughing is accompanied by a foamy, sometimes red-colored discharge. This red color is caused by blood loss from the lungs. Pulmonary edema is life-threatening and must be treated immediately.
Therapy
Heart weakness can be discovered when the patient comes to the doctor with complaints. The doctor will often listen to the heart with a stethoscope. Certain sounds explain heart weakness. The doctor will also pay close attention to edema (fluid accumulation) in the legs, liver or lungs. Additional testing consists of an electrocardiogram to determine the heart rate and how strong the heart is beating. An ultrasound can show the functioning of the heart. Sometimes an exercise test is performed. There are various methods to demonstrate heart weakness.
It is striking that the patient experiences fewer complaints when he or she sits upright. Many patients sleep with a pillow in their back, which reduces the complaints. Digitalis (digoxin) is often given to improve the pumping function of the heart. This drug slows down the heart rate and strengthens the squeezing force or pumping function of the heart. By letting the legs hang out of the bed in combination with this remedy, less blood flows back to the heart. Most patients feel good about this.
In addition, breathing can be improved with theophylline. This is a bronchodilator. The blood vessels can also be dilated with the help of medications. Sometimes morphine helps against the complaints. The doctor always discusses in advance which treatment methods can be applied.
In very serious cases, bloodletting is sometimes used. Blood is drained so that the blood flow to the weakened heart decreases. This is only used in emergencies.
