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Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center

(801) 507-4701Map5121 S. Cottonwood StreetMurray, UT 84107

Shortness of breath — the feeling that you can’t get enough air — is extremely uncomfortable, indicates that something is wrong, and must be treated.

What to Do

  • Call 911 or go to the emergency room, if the shortness of breath is sudden or severe, or is combined with chest pain.
  • Call your healthcare provider, if you have episodes of shortness of breath after you exercise, if you wake up at night because it’s hard to breathe, if you have wheezing/coughing, or if you have a fever.

Common Causes

Shortness of breath can be caused by a number of health conditions. Many of the conditions are serious, and some are medical emergencies.

  • Heart conditions: angina, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, heart valve disease, irregular heart beat 
  • Vascular conditions: pulmonary embolism (clot that has moved from a blood vessel to the lungs), pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs) 
  • Lung conditions: lung disease, asthma, emphysema, interstitial lung disease (inflammation and scarring in the lungs), pneumonia
  • Other conditions: allergies, obesity, inhaling a foreign object, panic attacks, acid reflux

  • Angina

    Angina is pressure or tightness in your chest that doesn't last and is brought on by physical or emotional stress. Angina can be an early warning sign of heart attack. Call your healthcare provider for evaluation.

  • Coronary Artery Disease

    Coronary artery disease is a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart.

  • Heart Attack

    • Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, or squeezing pain in the center of the chest
    • Lasts more than a few minutes
    • Can spread to the shoulders, neck, or arms
    • Can be accompanied by lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of breath
    • Call 911

  • Heart Failure

    Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

  • Heart Valve Disease

    Heart valve disease means that one or more valves in the heart is damaged causing problems with blood flow.

  • Irregular Heart Beat (Arrhythmia)

    An irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.

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