Breathlessnessgetting out of breath more easily.
Breathlessness can come from the heart, the lungs, the blood or simply fitness. Here is what it can mean, and when a heart check makes sense.
Get emergency help now if you have
Call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a clinic appointment.
- Sudden breathlessness, especially with chest pain
- Breathlessness at rest, or being unable to finish a sentence
- Blue or grey lips, or new confusion
- Coughing up pink, frothy or bloody phlegm
What it can mean
Most of these are common and treatable, and several have nothing to do with the heart. Telling them apart is what an assessment is for.
- Heart failureThe heart is not pumping as well as it should, so fluid builds up. Breathlessness is often worse on effort or when lying flat.
- Heart valve diseaseA narrowed or leaking valve makes the heart work harder. It is often first noticed as a murmur.
- Coronary artery diseaseIn some people, especially older adults and people with diabetes, breathlessness on effort appears instead of chest pain.
- The lungsAsthma, COPD, infection or a clot in the lung. Lung and heart causes often overlap.
- Anaemia and fitnessA low blood count, weight gain or losing fitness all shorten how far you can go.
When to see a cardiologist
Book an appointment, rather than waiting to see if it passes, if any of these apply to you.
- You get breathless doing things that used to be easy
- You need extra pillows to sleep, or wake at night short of breath
- Breathlessness with swollen ankles or quick weight gain
- You have been told before that you have a heart murmur
What we would do
Listen
We start with your story: what you feel, when it comes and what brings it on. It is the most useful part of the assessment.
Examine and record
Pulse, blood pressure, heart sounds and an ECG, usually during the same visit.
Test only what matters
If a question is still open, we choose the test that answers it, and no more than that.
Explain the plan
You leave knowing what is likely behind the symptom, what happens next and when to come back.
Tests that may help
Common questions
How can I tell if it is my heart or my lungs?
The pattern helps. Breathlessness when lying flat or with swollen ankles points towards the heart; wheeze or a cough points towards the lungs. They often overlap, and tests usually settle it.
Is it just being unfit?
It can be. But breathlessness that is new, or out of proportion to what you are doing, deserves a check before it is put down to fitness.
Which test comes first?
Usually an ECG and an echocardiogram, which shows how well the heart pumps and whether the valves work properly.
Would you like it looked at properly?
Book a consultation or send a question on WhatsApp. The symptom is assessed in person, and the findings and next steps are explained to you before you leave.
This page explains what a symptom can be linked to. It cannot diagnose you or replace an examination. If your symptoms are severe, sudden or happening now, seek emergency care immediately.