Deficiency in Red Blood Cells
It is common to see people who have amyloidosis develop anemia due to a drop in their red blood cell count. The red blood cell contains hemoglobin, which is the oxygen-carrying compound of the blood. A reduction in red blood cells, therefore, means the body will get less oxygen. This can lead to other symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath appearing.
Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath is one of the first symptoms of amyloid collection in the heart. The heart is responsible for pumping blood carrying oxygen throughout the body. When there is a huge deposit of this protein in the heart, it becomes impaired and unable to function efficiently.
The collection of amyloid delays the heart’s ability to fill with blood between heartbeats. As less blood is pumped with each beat, you begin to experience shortness of breath.
Shortness of breath could also be caused by deposits of amyloidosis in the lungs. This changes the way the lungs work. These organs become unable to function properly, reducing the amount of oxygen present in your body. This causes you to feel short of breath. You have to draw in more air in quicker successions to meet up with your body’s demand for oxygen.