What is Dyspnea?
The term dyspnea is derived from the Greek dys, meaning painful or difficult and pneuma, meaning breath. Dyspnea is among the most common symptoms of patients with airflow obstructions, and encompasses a variety of sensations experienced when breathing feels difficult. Dyspnea is a main reason that patients seek medical attention. The American Thoracic Society (ATS) has established the following consensus definition of dyspnea:
Dyspnea is a term used to characterize a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that is comprised of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity. The experience derives from interactions among multiple physiological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, and may induce secondary physiological and behavioral responses.
Chronic progressive dyspnea is characteristic of patients with COPD, while episodic dyspnea is more common in asthmatics. Unfortunately, there can be a significant overlap between these 2 types of dyspnea, creating confusion in establishing an accurate diagnosis.
Dyspnea is a highly subjective experience that can occur under many different conditions. Like pain, it can be multidimensional and can involve rate of breathing, feelings of tightness in the chest, the need to "really work" to breathe, and the feeling of suffocating, or not getting enough air. Dyspnea may also be characterized in terms of inhalation versus exhalation.
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