Can breathlessness be linked to high blood pressure?

[Junet123]

For the past 19 months i have been suffering with breathlessness when doing anything where i exert myself. Walking up hills, exercise etc. I have had numerous lung tests and heart tests and blood tests all with no results of anything serious. Which is a good thing. My latest pill check my blood pressure was high so im currently doing a two week diary im a week in and my avg blood pressure is 156/92 im 37. Could this be whats causing the breathlessness?

[RichardUK2]

Hi, how old are you and have you had an echo? In my experience ECG's and basic physical assessments expose limited range of cardiac problems.

All the best,

[Junet123 in reply to RichardUK2]

im 37. Iv had ecg heart scans echo cardiac angiogram

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Junet123]

Has anybody considered microvascular angina ?

This type of angina is more common in women. Breathlessness is one of the common symptoms. Raised blood pressure and being overweight are also risk factors.

Microvascular angina is with vasospastic angina, a type of non obstructive coronary artery disease NOCAD.

These conditions are poorly recognised, often overlooked, and difficult to diagnose.

During your angiogram did they measure your coronary flow reserve, CFR and index of microvascular resistence, IMR ? These measurements are used to diagnose microvascular dysfunction, a possible cause of microvascular angina.

I suggest you ask your Cardiology team to offer you the appropriate testing or be referred to a Cardiologist who understands microvascular and vasospastic angina.

A cardiac perfusion MRI can also detect microvascular dysfunction.

The BHF has this information about microvascular angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Junet123 in reply to Milkfairy]

im not entirely sure what was looked at on the angiogram i dididnt even get a phone consultation on the back of it just a letter from the cardiologist with one sentence on saying i told you your breathlessness was not heart related.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Junet123]

I suggest you ask for a copy of your angiogram results.

Take them to your GP to discuss the results with you.

You can do this through the Patient Advisory Liaison Service.

Not all centres test how the blood flows through the coronary arteries.

If this test hasn't been done, microvascular dysfunction can not be excluded.

The forum has many members who sadly have had to be very proactive to get their symptoms recognised as being heart related.

[Frequentshocker in reply to Milkfairy]

This is really helpful thank you. I had an echo done and they decided my valves and pumping are ok so we assume my blood flow is good yet I suffer from exactly tbe same symptoms.

It was debateable whether I had angina as they seem to think but in the past 2 years Ive had to agree, I have developed mild angina. The spray relieves bad arrhythmias even without any chest pains. Gives me a whacking headache each time though so I avoid it if possible!

What really doesn't help is a cardiologist who has given me one appt in 7 years since she insterted my icd following a double cardiac arrest 7 years ago. That was to discuss everything with her in a 5 min telephone call! She suggested my breathlessness was due to my weight gain recorded by my gp and nothing to do with my cardiac condition at all! I tried to tell her my weight gain was due to my frustrating lack of energy and breathlessness stopping me from exercising and leading a normally active life! I was fit and active pre cardiac arrests, and for the 2 weeks afterwards when I returned to dancing again. It all changed when they put me into bisoprolol, nothings been right since despite trying various meds since! Now its worse and I cant walk too far any more so it seems all uphill again.

Sorry to hijack you on Junes thread but we both appear to have the same problem and you seem very knowledgeable!

[Junet123 in reply to Frequentshocker]

happy for you to jump on and share. My phone appointment with the cardiologist some months ago said my breathlesnees was in mybhead due to weight gain. Not gunna lie i kinda lost it with him a bit because it started when i was going to the gym daily and was eating well. I too had gained weight because of stopping doing all these activities etc he basically accise dme of lying becaise pf covid gyms were shut. The gym i went to was doing daily online content then one to ones when h could neet one person etc

I just am at a loss with it all now

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Frequentshocker]

My goodness, it is disappointing to hear that you have had very little Cardiology input over the last 7 years.

Perhaps keep a log of your symptoms, then back to your GP and ask for a referral to another Cardiologist, for a second opinion.

Breathlessness is one of the symptoms women seen to have when they have angina. Especially microvascular angina.

I live with Vasospastic angina, it wasn't straight forward to get my diagnosis, then for oncall Cardiologists I encountered to accept my diagnosis at first.

I now have very good support from the Cardiology team at my local hospital.

Sometimes we just need to be persistent!

[RichardUK2 in reply to Junet123]

With that level of diagnostics I'd be surprised if they would have missed any heart defect. Perhaps continue on your path of managing your blood pressure and try that first. Anxiety? If you do drink alcohol, my friend noticed a real drop in his blood pressure after not drinking for a month. He didn't have breathlessness though.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to RichardUK2]

They could have easily missed microvascular or vasospastic angina.

Women often have their heart problems overlooked or under treated.

leeds.ac.uk/news/article/42....

[Frequentshocker]

Hi June. I can totally sympathise with you as Im just the same. Not much help Im afraid but it may help us both to share.

I've been so tired and got unfit since I was put onto bisoprolol 2 weeks after discharged from critical cardiac unit with a defibrillator after a double cardiac arrest out of the blue. I was fit before that and much slimmer, and came out of hospital as if nothing was wrong and straight out dancing again within a week. I was perfectly fine without any meds!

2 weeks later, on beta blockers and they slowed me right down. Weight gain, breathlessness, limiting life and depression became the norm but determined to get well again I tried various beta blockers many causing allergies and awful side effects then calcium channel blockers that made me so ill I couldnt go out of the house. I've gained a few more stone in weight since and despite 1000 calories a day and eating healthily I now struggle to lose any weight and Im breathless at the slightest exertion. Now on Quinedine which gave me a boost initially once off beta blockers but Im getting slower by the month. The guilt over feeling depressed when we are so lucky to be alive is overwhelming and I try hard to keep upbeat and plan to do more but when I try Im so exhausted and breathless I have to give up and rest.

Are you on beta blockers? My bp isnt as high as yours, it used to be low but its increasing by the year. I wonder if you'd experience other effects too from high bp? Do you feel like you just cant get enough oxygen into your lungs when you exert yourself more? I feel like my lungs have shrunk but now doing breathing exercises I read about to try to expand my lungs and get fitter. I only get bad chest pains when walking uphill, I have to go slow on any incline or I feel like Im having a heart attack and my lungs are sqeezing all the air out of me. Its awful to go from fit as a fiddle to feeling about 90 in a few years.

Following mild covid in Jan then a chest infection in March, coughing blood clots, my gp decided I needed an X ray to check my lungs. While awaiting that appointment she said it possibly wont show enough so she suggested I keep thst appt but also get a ct scan. Tbey wrote within days to advise I'm referred to the respitory clinic where the consultant will discuss their findings. They assure me its not cancer and I will hear from them. Still waiting! I tried calling but Im on a waiting list and my gp cannot do much without the results of my ct scan. She said try to lose weight, thatll help! I think we are stuck in an over loaded system where patient care isnt a priority as much as a much needed nhs that is being run down and its easier to put the responsibility back to us to lose weight when they put barriers in our way! I just worry we will get worse in the meantime while going round in circles! Do let me know how you get on.

I don't know how others manage to get back to running marathons in no time and get fit again, if any of you have any tips on that theres at least two of us here who will be very grateful.

[Masters69]

yes blood pressure can cause a lot symptoms to heart and arteries ie CAD LVD

And much more which affects breathing I have same issues