If you have heart failure and experience difficulty breathing, it’s a sign that your heart isn’t pumping blood as effectively as it should. This is also known as a heart failure exacerbation or acute heart failure.
When your heart can’t meet your body’s demands, blood and fluid may back up into your lungs.
This buildup, known as pulmonary congestion or pulmonary edema, makes it harder for oxygen to move from the lungs into the bloodstream, causing shortness of breath.
You might notice that breathing becomes difficult during physical activity, such as walking up stairs or carrying groceries. As heart failure progresses, you may feel breathless even while resting or lying flat.
This happens because lying down allows more blood to return to the heart, which it may not be strong enough to handle, increasing pressure in the lungs.
To relieve this discomfort, you might find yourself sleeping propped up on multiple pillows or waking up gasping for air during the night, a condition known as paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea.
Shortness of breath related to heart failure can feel different from other causes, like asthma or respiratory infections. It often occurs alongside symptoms such as fatigue, swelling in the ankles or abdomen, and rapid weight gain from fluid retention.
Seek emergency medical careIf you have heart failure and notice increased shortness of breath, especially while resting or lying down, contact a healthcare professional right away.
You should also seek emergency care if you develop:
- frequent dry, hacking cough
- discomfort or swelling in the lower extremeties
- rapid weight gain in short period of time
- new or worsening dizziness
- confusion
- decreased appetite
- inability to lie flat while sleeping