Diaphragm Breathing / Heart risks?

[gurtz02]

Hello,

I hope you can help me. I have a quick, hopefully easy, question. My mother has some heart problems. As I understand it her heart is only pumping at about 20% efficiency (whereas most people's hearts pump at 50%+ efficiency). Also, she had fluid in her lungs, but I believe that has been eliminated (through the use of diuretics and other meds). My question relates to her
breathing. She is having a problem with hyperventilating/panic attacks. I believe this is in part caused (or perpetuated) by the way she breathes: mostly with her chest (and shoulders). [She has even been having shoulder pain as a result.] I have recommended that she should practice diaphragm breathing to help ease the hyperventilating problem. She, however, read one line in an article on the internet that she interprets to be saying that: if you have heart problems, you SHOULDN'T do diaphragm breathing. I believe the line she is quoting is out of context, and that diaphragm breathing is the RIGHT thing for her ... especially considering that she has heart problems. [To me, diaphragm breathing is the most "normal", and should provide for the least strain on her heart.]

Can you clear this up for us? Should she practice diaphragm breathing? Or avoid it?

Thank you very much for your time and advice!

All the best,
Greg

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi Greg,

Sorry to hear about your mothers illness.  You are right, a normal ejection fraction is considered greater than or equal to 55%.

If someone is hyperventilating related to anxiety breathing, the best thing to do is slow down the breathing and try to relax.  There is nothing wrong with diaphram breathing and it should not increase the stress on the heart.

For the most part though, I would recommend just breathing normally and abdominal breathing only when she is anxious.  If she does it more when she lays flat, if her breathing is labored, and/or she starts developing increasind edema, suspect that it could be heart failure worsening her breathing and make sure she is seen by a doctor.

I hope this helps!

[PikaPika88]

Hi Greg,
My upper chamber is not working probably (A Fib).I don't know the pumping rate. Dr never tell. My oxygen intake is 100% during A Fib.  I have to do 2 breathing exercise everyday. One is 28 times and the other is 10 times. It is recommanded by TCM Practitioner.  I think these exercises are come from part of the "Tai Chi".  Moving the hands only, breath in from the nose and breath out from the mouth.  We normally breath through the upper part abdominal.  This is very normal and common for the martial art trainers as well.  Details can search in the web, I believe.  Hope your mum get better soon. Pika.

[gurtz02]

Hi Pika,

Thanks for the info.

Cheers,
Greg

[gurtz02]

Thank you so much for your feedback. I really appreciate it!

God Bless,
Greg