An arrhythmia may signal a harmless condition or something more serious. Common symptoms such as shortness of breath and dizziness require careful evaluation by a specialist. Valvular Heart Disease Heart valves work normally to perform 2 tasks 1. Open wide to let blood flow through 2. Keep blood flowing in one direction and preventing blood from leaking back in the opposite direction. Conditions in which the heart valves do not open all the way lead to a narrowing of the valvular opening termed Stenosis if this is severe it may cause shortness of breath either due to the valve disease itself or because it leads to a cardiomyopathy and lung disease.
When a valve is diseased and does not shut completely it allows blood to leak backwards this is termed regurgitation and when severe enough may also lead to shortness of breath. Valvular heart disease is easily diagnosed with a thorough physical exam and tests such as an Echocardiogram.
Treatment of heart valve disease is more successful if instituted early, before patients develop cardiomyopathy and other irreversible effects of valvular heart disease like lung disease. Pericarditis The pericardium has two thin layers of tissue that surround the heart, and inflammation of the tissue is called pericarditis. If you have pericarditis, you may experience chest pain and shortness of breath.
Viral infections and autoimmune disorders can cause pericarditis. Pericarditis typically resolves on its own, but may be severe or become chronic, it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause. To learn more about how you can keep your heart healthy, please reach out to us by phone or request an appointment online at one of our three locations in Beltsville, Bowie, and Columbia, Maryland. You can also send a message to Dr.
I had a pacemaker placed 36 hours ago due to possible sick siuns syndrome. I had never experience shortness of breath before only dizziness and close to fainting , but now I am experienceing shortness of breath.
Is this a problme I should get checked out immediately, or is it just my sytem getting used to the device? Thanks for any feedback you can give me.
Please call your doctor. The pacemaker probably needs adjusting. It could take a few adjustments before the settings are set correctly for your particular needs. Shortness of breath after a pacemaker could possibly be that your lung could have been punctured Better safe than sorry. Let us know how you make out.
Best of luck. If you never had it before contact your physician right away or go to the ER for a chest xray. Back to Pacemaker implantation. Pacemakers are sometimes recommended for people with conditions that cause the heart to beat abnormally.
Each time the heart beats, the heart muscle contracts pulls inwards in preparation for pumping blood around the body. The contractions are triggered by electrical pulses. These are generated by a group of specialised cells known as the sinoatrial node SA node.
The SA node is often referred to as a natural pacemaker because it generates a series of electrical pulses at regular intervals. The pulse is then sent to a group of cells known as the atrioventricular node AV node.
The AV node relays the pulse to the 2 lower chambers of the heart the ventricles. A pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator ICD is needed when something disrupts this process and causes an abnormal heartbeat.
An abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. Instead of the upper chambers being activated electrically and then the lower chambers being activated electrically, it goes in the reverse directions so the lower chambers beat before the upper chambers. And so, the upper chambers beat against closed valves in the heart causing blood to be pushed backwards, causing a variety of things to happen: a sensation of pounding in the chest, shortness of breath, sometimes dizziness or lightheadedness because of low blood pressure, a sensation of shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue.
Pacemakers in some circumstances can cause this especially for pacemakers that are working simply on the lower chambers of the heart.
And defibrillators can cause this in a similar way.
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