Qualities of dyspnea and associated disease states

Descriptor	Pathophysiologic mechanism	Disease state
Chest tightness or constriction	Bronchochonstriction, interstitial edema	Asthma
Chest tightness or constriction	Bronchochonstriction, interstitial edema	Myocardial ischemia
Increased work or effort of breathing	Airways obstruction, neuromuscular disease, reduced chest wall or pulmonary compliance	COPD, moderate to severe asthma, myopathy, pulmonary fibrosis
Air hunger, need to breathe, urge to breathe	Increased drive to breathe	HF, pulmonary embolism, moderate to severe asthma or COPD
Rapid, shallow breathing	Reduced chest wall or pulmonary compliance	Interstitial fibrosis
Suffocating, smothering	Alveolar edema	Pulmonary edema
Heavy breathing, breathing more	Inadequate oxygen delivery to the muscles	Deconditioning

Dyspnea_qualities_disease_s.htm

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