Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
Shortness of Breath Causes & Symptoms
Shortness of breath is a normal occurrence during certain events, such as intense exercise, extreme temperatures, and higher altitudes. It may also occur with obesity. When shortness of breath is sudden and severe, however, this could indicate a more serious problem that needs to be addressed.
Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly can indicate a number of cardiovascular conditions. Cardiac shortness of breath causes include:
- Heart Attack
- Heart Arrhythmia
- Heart Failure
Treatment for Heart Palpitations Shortness of Breath
Treating shortness of breath will involve addressing the underlying cause for it. When a heart condition is the reason for your shortness of breath, we have several treatment options we can pursue.
Treatments for heart conditions that cause shortness of breath include:
- Cardiac catheter ablation
- Pacemaker
- Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
- Coronary angioplasty
- Coronary bypass surgery
Recovery
Your recovery time will depend on the treatment you undergo.
Cardiac catheter ablation is a minimally-invasive procedure. You should be able to resume most of your normal activities within a few days. Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous work for at least a week after the procedure.
Device implantation with a pacemaker or ICD may require an overnight stay so you can be observed. You will need to ease back into normal activities over the next several weeks, though we recommend avoiding strenuous activity in the month following the procedure. We offer device clinics to help you learn how to manage your new device.
After coronary angioplasty, you will remain in the recovery room for several hours. We'll ask you to drink plenty of water to flush the contrast dye from your system. You should be able to resume your normal activities after about a week.
Coronary bypass surgery is considered a major surgery and will likely require a hospital stay of around 8-12 days. During this time, you will be monitored closely for any signs of complications.
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