started04

High Katielyn, a true heart attack is myocardia infarct indicating heart muscle damage (necrotic cells...dead and sometimes there are stunned cells that can be revitalized if treated timely) due to lack of oxygentated blood.

Unforunately, inhalers only open up the airways by relaxing muscles, which allows air to get in and out of the patient's lungs more easily and may not effect the blood oxygenated needed immediately to the heart cells.

The difference between asthma related SOB and heart failure SOB are clinically different if that is your question. Asthma causes shortness of breath due to the respiratory system and that can cause hypoxia (low oxygen level in the blood to the heart tissues. And there is hypoxia ischemia that is lack of oxygen due to reduced vessel blood flow to the heart.

I had a silent heart attack more than 6 years ago, and the only symptom I had was heart failure and in ICU for several days. Heart failure (less than 30% blood pumped with each stroke) can cause shortness of breath. Low cardiac output will increase aspiration as a compensating factor for the low oxygen level to the heart.

When I was in heart failure (some may refer it as heart attack...but isn't) my heart rate was higher than normal at rest (115), low blood pressure, compensation by restricting vessels to raise blood volume, shortness of breath, etc.

I'm not sure how there could be a difference determined as either heart failure or/and a respiratory disorder causing SOB. But having an MI there almost always are more significant symptoms due to the immediate necrosis of heart cells and then failure for the heart to adequately pump...can cause cardiac arrest, etc.