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What is the difference between cardiac asthma and asthma?

How to know if I have cardiac asthma instead of normal asthma? They have similar symptoms.

  1. Hi Michln and thanks for your post. While we cannot provide medical advice or diagnostics over the internet (for your own safety), your concern certainly warrants a reply. In the most general of terms, 'cardiac asthma' is a cardiac condition that can mimic asthma by virtue of the wheezing associated with it. Asthma, on the other hand, is classified as a pulmonary condition. You may want to discuss this further with your own physician. I hope this brief reply provides you with some additional insight for your concern. All the best, Leon (site moderator)

    1. My mother just got over cardiac asthma and it was related to left sided heart failure that led to pulmonary congestion. Her symptoms were similar to asthma, wheezing, feeling tired but they cleared up once the heart failure (from a medication) was treated. Asthma is a chronic condition of the airway. I actually took my mother in to be evaluated thinking it would be asthma but the ECG and chest x-ray said otherwise. Thankfully for my mom, it was caught early and she has recovered.

      1. Thanks for your reply. It's lucky she got it checked out on time, I hope she's fully recovered and healthy now. Bless 😀

        1. Thanks Leon for the answer. I've been experiencing shortness and hard to breath lately, dry cough mostly and chest pain, sometimes it's tightness/ sharp pain in the middle of the chest or sometimes in left chest and to the back too. Yesterday I was feeling extremely hard to breath and wheezing and coughing repeatedly, after about 10 mins it subsided. Idk if it was an asthma attack or cardiac asthma attack (whatever you call it), I'm a bit worried now and I'm calling my doctor to set up an appointment

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