Did you know that your lung health can affect your heart health and vice versa? October is International Lung Health Month. This month, it’s important to understand the inter-dependent relationship between your heart and lungs that affects your entire cardiovascular system.
Lung Health & Heart Health- A Lovestory
The connection between heart and lungs is simple. Your heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout your body to ensure proper function. Your lungs take in the oxygen your blood needs and discard CO2. Known as the pulmonary loop, the right side of your heart picks up oxygen low blood and transports it to the lungs for cleaning and oxygen. Once it’s done, the systematic loop, or the left side of the heart, moves oxygen-rich blood through the body. When one system is not working efficiently, it affects the other. The end result of heart or lung disease can be damage to both systems.
Habits That Hurt Your Heart & Lungs
- Smoking has extremely negative effects on both the heart and lungs. It restricts your blood vessels, causing hypertension. And it damages the oxygen intake in your lungs by building up scar tissue and residue from nicotine additives. Smoking of any kind (including e-cigarettes or vaping) had the power to wreak havoc on both systems.
- Not exercising on a regular basis weakens the strength of both the heart and lungs. Routine aerobic exercise builds up the muscle in the heart and lungs that support the proper weight, blood pressure, and stress levels.
Symptoms That Indicate a Heart and Lung Issue
- unexplained shortness of breath
- low oxygen levels
- chest pain
- near-fainting/fainting
- fatigue
- palpitations
- heart failure
Each of these can be indicators that your heart and lung health need help. If you are noticing frequent shortness of breath, poor circulation through the body, or unusual fatigue, seek medical attention from your Macon Cardiologists.
Diseases That Affect Heart & Lung Health
- exercise intolerance
- fatigue
- irregular heartbeats
- sleep apnea
- asthma
- bronchitis
- weak heart muscle
- shortness of breath
- emphysema
- pulmonary hypertension
- heart attack
You can prevent heart and lung health issues with routine visits to your cardiologist and primary care physician. Don’t forget you can always ask your Central Georgia Heart Center provider for advice using our patient portal.
