Congenital or acquired heart failure often provokes stagnation of blood in a small circle of circulation. This means that the biological fluid gradually accumulates in the lungs, which causes the swelling of the mucous membranes, as well as the swelling of blood in the alveoli and respiratory tract. Accordingly, a sense of lack of air and cough with heart failure are symptoms of blood flow disorders. This is a dangerous condition that can cause spasmodic contractions of the bronchi, asphyxiation.
Can there be a cough with heart failure?
The phenomenon under consideration is not uncommon among patients suffering from heart failure. In addition to the fact that this disease contributes to the stagnation of blood, lymph and bronchial secretion, causing pulmonary edema, the pathology is often accompanied by concomitant lesions of the respiratory system.
The connection between cough and heart failure is that the fluid accumulating in a small circle of blood circulation, propoting, irritates the sensory nerve receptors and endings (cough centers). As a result, the described symptom appears, which may have various characteristics that depend on the patient's general health, the presence of chronic pathologies of the respiratory system, and existing bad habits.
What is a cough with heart failure?
To differentiate the clinical manifestation from other types of cough, you should pay attention to its nature, time and frequency of occurrence, as well as intensity.
As a rule, with mild heart failure, a dry cough is observed, because the nerve impulses for its excitation come through the same channels as the signals before the onset of dyspnea. An unpleasant symptom is described as an irritating, painful, persistent attack, lasting from a few minutes to 2-3 hours. Usually it is caused by intense physical stress, it can appear after stress, emotional overexcitation. Less often the cough is present at rest.
Chronic heart failure of the middle and severe stages is combined with a more serious type of the described symptom. In this case, cough occurs against the background of increased secretion of pulmonary secretions. During the attack, mucus is released, sometimes - a pinkish hue, which indicates the penetration into the respiratory tract of not only fluid, but also a small number of erythrocyte masses. In addition, the cough is accompanied by severe shortness of breath , a feeling of lack of air, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.
The acute failure of the left ventricle of the heart against a background of cough is an invariable sign of the onset of pulmonary edema. There is a selection
How to deal with shortness of breath and cough with heart failure?
The non-severe forms of the disease with coughing attacks are the reason for an immediate appeal to the cardiologist. It will take several studies to confirm the stagnation of blood in the lungs and the subsequent appointment of appropriate treatment. Independently to be engaged in therapy it is impossible.
In the event of prolonged agonizing coughing attacks with sputum secretion, suffocation and irregularities in blood pressure indices, it is necessary to immediately call a team of professional medics. Such symptoms can signal the onset of pulmonary edema - an extremely dangerous condition that often ends in a fatal outcome.