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What Causes Breathing Difficulty With High Blood Pressure And Pulse Rate?

Posted on Fri, 22 Jul 2016

Question: I have been tested for pnuemonia and it came back negative. my lungs are fairly clear. But I feel like I can't breath and have to continue to use a nebulizer four times a day, my o2 is 96 with three deep breaths and 90 with slow breathing. My bp is 147/87 and my pulse rate is 85. I am 91 y/o female with an aortic heart valve and a new pacemaker.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (48 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You should get done PFT first.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I don't think youyou are having pneumonia.
In my opinion, your breathing problem and low saturation is mostly due to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
And for this PFT (pulmonary function test) is needed.
PFT will tell you about severity of the disease and treatment is based on severity only.
You might need additional bronchodilator or oral steroids on the basis of severity of the disease.
So please let me know if you have ever undergone PFT or not.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (9 minutes later)

Thank you for your answer. My medical records do show past diagnosis of COPD 12 years ago. But I have not been having COPD problems since I was hospitalized with pneumonia for 8 days a month ago. Seems that is when this has started up. Do you feel oxygen would help? Also, can you recommend meds for COPD. I did have PFT years ago. But have not had any problems until the pneumonia episode.

Do you feel that the oxygen saturation at normal breathing is too low and should be supplemented with oxygen.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (7 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It depends on your current symptoms.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
See, supplemental oxygen will help or not depends on your symptoms.
So please let me know
1. Do you have any symptoms at present?
2. Do you have cough or breathlessness?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 minutes later)

the answer is very much so "yes" to #1 and #2

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
We need to rule out heart or lung related worsening in your case.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
So you are having cough and breathlessness.
You are also having heart and lung related diseases.
Both of them can cause cough and breathlessness.
So please let me know
1. Do you have wheezing sound from chest while having breathlessness?
2. Do you smoke?
3. Do you have edema in lower limbs?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (6 minutes later)

1. answer "no" just coughing
2. Never smoked
3. Slight edema in feet and ankles. I am taking Lasix as needed for this. I just started taking it again 3 days ago when I noticed edema starting.

Let me mention something to you. On my 91st birthday which was 1-17-16. They had a cake for me with two candles to blow out. I was unable to blow out either candle no matter how hard I tried and how close I got. My daughter blew them out for me.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Do you feel improved after taking Lasix?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Inability to blow candles suggests lung issue more.
But edema feet suggests cardiac issue more.
Please let me know
1. Do you feel improved after taking Lasix?
Please reply me answer of above asked question, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (10 minutes later)

Sorry but I have not correlated the two. Taking lasix and improving symptoms, because I just have not been watching for that (improving symptoms.) But I will now because I see where you are going with this and that is a great thing for me to observe.

You have been extremely helpful!

Symbicort is very expensive and I don't feel it does anything.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thanks for your kind words.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I am truly obliged by your kind words.
Lasix is basically diuretic. It increases urine output. So excess body fluid can remove by urine.
Heart failure means poor pumping of fluids. So body tend to accumulate fluid in gravity dependent area like lower limbs.
So edema feet is the earliest symptom of heart failure.
Heart failure will also cause accumulation of fluid in the lung (pulmonary edema) and it will cause cough and breathlessness.
So if by Lasix, you are improving then you are mostly having cardiac cause (heart failure) for your symptoms.
Please let me know
1. Have you ever undergone 2d echo?
Please reply me answer of above asked question, so that I can guide you better. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (11 minutes later)

yes, I am under the close care of a cardiologist and have had many ekg's and pacemaker exams. Had one at the hospital. I have a 22 year old pigs valve for a aortic heart valve and they keep a close eye on both. I have an appointment next week. With your help, you are giving such great answers that I can figure out, with your help what is going on and how the systems overlap. Cardio, respiratory and fluid retention.

I sure you are busy but I also have to tell you that I have a serious fluid retention problem with my bladder. Meds have not worked. I may have to have a permenant foley. This may also be plying into this. It's tough when your 91

At some point I would like to restart a new question with a urologist online.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (5 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Discuss all these with your cardiologist.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I appreciate your positive attitude towards your symptoms. I am very happy that my answers are helping you.
Do discuss all these with your cardiologist in next meeting.
Sorry to hear about your urinary problem.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 minutes later)

I am all finished with my questions and I can't thank you enough. You are a godsend. I will rate you extremely high.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thanks for your positive reply.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up questionup question on Healthcare Magic.
I am overwhelmed by receiving this message. I am thankful to you.
Do let me know your progress.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar