What is the Difference Between Asthma and Heart Problems?

Asthma and heart problems, specifically heart failure, share some common symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing, but they have distinct differences in their causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Asthma:

Occurs when the airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed.
Symptoms include chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing, which can be worse when exerting oneself.
Asthma is usually treated with inhalers, steroids, and avoiding environmental triggers.
Rarely causes swelling in the legs.

Heart Failure:

Occurs when the heart muscle becomes weak or stiff, triggering fluid retention that can affect the lungs and cause shortness of breath.
Symptoms include ankle swelling, abdominal bloating, difficulty lying flat, cough that is worse when lying down, and weight gain due to fluid retention.
Heart failure is treated with diuretics, heart-strengthening medication, a low-sodium diet, and exercise.
Can cause a heavy chest pressure with exertion that gets relieved with medications like nitroglycerine.

Diagnostic tests such as chest x-rays, echocardiograms, and blood tests like BNP can help differentiate between heart failure and asthma. It is crucial to accurately diagnose the condition, as the treatments for asthma and heart failure are very different.