Brain infarction and shortness of breath may be caused by brain stem damage, cardiac insufficiency and lung infection. 1. Brain stem damage: If the brain stem is damaged in patients with cerebral infarction, it may affect the center of life such as respiratory center, and the brain stem damage may cause abnormal breathing such as gasping for air, or even voluntary respiratory arrest. 2. Cardiac insufficiency: The symptoms of shortness of breath may occur due to muscle weakness and decreased nerve function, which induces cardiac insufficiency or heart failure. 3. Lung infection: if there are symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing, choking on drinking water, coughing up sputum, etc., it will cause an increase in lung secretion, which will lead to lung infection, and the symptom of gasping for breath will be manifested. If patients with cerebral infarction are gasping for breath, they need to go to the hospital for further examination so as to avoid delaying the condition and affecting the treatment and prognosis.