Heart pain while lying down
When lying down, the blood distribution in the body changes compared to sitting or standing. This is because the large veins in the body in particular are very flexible and can store a lot of blood. When sitting or standing, the blood tends to collect in the large veins of the legs due to the force of gravity.
When lying down, however, the legs are usually at the same level as the rest of the body. The blood collected in the legs therefore flows back towards the heart. As a result, the heart now has more blood volume at its disposal to pump into the circulation.
In this case, healthy hearts can transport more blood in less time. However, it is difficult for an already damaged heart to cope with the stress caused by the increased volume. Even if there is no discomfort when sitting or standing, the heart cannot work stably and powerfully enough in a lying position to pump even more blood.
The heart must therefore work even harder to transport the additional blood. However, with each additional work, the heart needs more oxygen to supply the muscle cells. If this supply can no longer be ensured, for example due to calcified coronary arteries, this results in heart pain. Even if the heart muscle is already enlarged, for example to withstand increased blood pressure, the additional supply becomes difficult under stress. For this reason, heart pain can occur when lying down, which is caused by an increased volume load.
Pain and shortness of breath
Shortness of breath can cause pain, as the causes of shortness of breath, such as pneumonia, can be very painful. In addition, shortness of breath puts a lot of strain on the muscles that assist breathing, which can lead to pain. But shortness of breath can also be caused by heart disease.
If the pumping power of the heart is limited, blood can back up into the lungs. This causes fluid to leak from the blood vessels and collect in the lungs. This makes it difficult for the lungs to absorb oxygen and can lead to respiratory distress.
