Hi everyone. My brother who is 45 yrs. old has asthma and allergies all year around. He is starting to think because he doesn't get alot of excerise (like me) that his being in shape is not that great. He doesn't eat that badly, but doesn't eat great. The question is, when people have plaque on the arteries, that causes chest pains from mild to severe and shortness of breath, being an asthmatic, how do you know if the shortness of breath is from the asthma/allergies or it is related to the heart? If it was related to the heart, would he get any relief from an inhaler cause he does get relief when he uses it. Thanks for the clarification.

Good question Bumpkin. If it were a heart disorder and there is no respiration problem, respiration medication would not be effective for chest pain relief due to ischemia (coronary blockage). If there is chest pain relief with an inhaler, heart angina (chest pain related to ischemia) can almost always be ruled out.

Good question Bumpkin. If it were a heart disorder and there is no respiration problem, respiration medication would not be effective for chest pain relief due to ischemia (coronary blockage). If there is chest pain relief with an inhaler, heart angina (chest pain related to ischemia) can almost always be ruled out.

So you are basically saying that any use of his inhaler would more likely be asthma/allergy related if he gets his breath back from using the inhaler?

So you are basically saying that any use of his inhaler would more likely be asthma/allergy related if he gets his breath back from using the inhaler?

Yes, I am saying if the inhaler opens air passageways and this relieves SOB and chest pain, there is a very high probability of no heart problem concomitance.

But we know there can be a heart disorder without pain or SOB.