When you hear the term "cardiac asthma," it's natural to assume that it's related to asthma, a common lung condition that causes wheezing and trouble breathing. But you might be surprised to learn that cardiac asthma is not a form of asthma at all. Instead, it's related to congestive heart failure, a serious cardiac condition, and requires very different medical care than bronchial asthma.

Congestive heart failure develops when your heart fails to pump as well as it should, resulting in poor blood flow throughout your body. Although this doesn't mean your heart has stopped, it can still be very serious and requires immediate medical attention.

When the heart doesn't pump blood as it should, fluid can back up into the lungs. This fluid buildup is called pulmonary edema and can cause breathing difficulties, including:

• Coughing up blood 
• Feeling out of breath when lying down, which is sometimes relieved when sitting or standing 
• Shortness of breath that can make it difficult to speak
• Wheezing

Cardiac asthma is a term used to describe the symptoms of pulmonary edema related to breathing difficulties caused by congestive heart failure.

Heart failure can come on suddenly or develop gradually as your heart weakens. It can also affect either the left ventricle or the right ventricle of the heart. Pulmonary edema and cardiac asthma are related to left-sided heart failure.

In addition to fluid in the lungs, heart failure can cause digestive and kidney problems, memory loss, and many other issues, including:

• Confusion
• Edema, or swelling in the feet, legs, ankles, or abdomen
• Fatigue
• Increased heart rate
• Lack of appetite and nausea

While there may be similar symptoms when it comes to cardiac asthma and bronchial asthma, they are very different conditions. Bronchial asthma, or true asthma, is a chronic condition that happens when the airways in the lungs become inflamed, causing them to narrow. Allergies, exercise, cold air, and viruses can worsen symptoms and trigger asthma attacks. Bronchial asthma symptoms include:

• Coughing
• Pain or tightness in the chest
• Trouble breathing
• Wheezing

On the other hand, cardiac asthma is usually caused by another condition affecting your heart health. Risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, diseased heart valves, chest pain, and heart attack.

If you are diagnosed with heart failure, your doctor will develop a treatment plan based on the type of heart failure and the severity of your condition. Options include:

• Medicines, such as diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and beta-blockers, remove extra fluid from your body, relax your blood vessels and slow your heart rate
• Biventricular pacemaker
• Surgery to repair heart defects or damage

Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, such as lowering salt intake, getting regular exercise, and reducing stress, can also help you manage heart failure symptoms. By following your doctor's recommendations, you can live a longer, healthier life.