About Shortness of Breath
This symptom is sometimes also referred to by physicians as “dyspnea.” Patients often will describe being “winded” or “out of breath.” Shortness of breath can occur with many cardiac conditions, including congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease or atrial fibrillation, to name the most common cardiac causes. But shortness of breath can be caused by non-cardiac conditions, like asthma, COPD, anemia and kidney failure. Further testing usually includes taking pictures of the heart, often by echocardiography.