Dyspnea

Dyspnea is one of the most common complaints that heart disease patients may present to their doctor. Translated into Russian, this term means “shortness of breath.” However, shortness of breath is not only a sign of pathology of the cardiovascular system, but also an important criterion for assessing the severity of various diseases, ranging from infections, hematological problems and

When a person has breathing problems, they may often experience shortness of breath, excessive and shallow breathing, sometimes coughing and sighing, and it can be argued that they are experiencing difficulty breathing or dyspnea. We can say "Dyspnea" in a general sense as a collective term for anything that bothers or makes breathing difficult. This term is more associated with the problem of cardiac function, but it is also associated with obesity syndrome, lack of oxygen due to stress and many other reasons, as well as in a variety of diseases. Depending on the specific problem, symptoms of dyspnea vary and may indicate different medical conditions. Dyspnea is not a disease, however, it becomes a kind of symptom for problems in the lungs, cardiovascular or neurological system. In many cases, breathing problems arise from irritation of the airways, which can occur, for example, after smoking, taking medications or in patients with laryngitis. In healthy people, such as adolescents, dyspnea may occur during intense physical activity.

Dyspnea is a condition of breathing disorder, which is accompanied by a feeling of difficulty in inhaling and exhaling, as well as the appearance of cyanosis in the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle. Dyspnea can manifest itself either independently or in combination with other lung diseases (bronchial asthma, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and others), heart failure or pathologies of the nervous system. Dyspnea is a symptom of many diseases. Inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system Dyspnea develops with bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, and airway obstruction. Sometimes there is a sharp deterioration in the patient’s condition with the development of an attack of bronchial asthma or cardiac asthma. Cardiovascular diseases In patients suffering from arterial hypertension, dyspnea occurs when there is a sharp increase in blood pressure. With cardiac pathologies, the blood supply to the vessels supplying the lungs deteriorates, causing hypoxia to develop. During severe cardiac pathology, the patient's skin turns pale, the mucous membranes of the lips and nasal membranes turn blue. Chest pain and tachycardia may occur. Neurological disorders Neuromuscular pathologies such as myasthenia gravis or botulism can cause dyspnea. Other causes of dyspnea: infectious infections - whooping cough, influenza, bronchitis of various etiologies, etc. How is the diagnosis done? If you suspect dyspnea, you should consult a therapist, pulmonologist or cardiologist. For diagnosis, you may need to carry out some tests and functional tests: Spirometry This test allows you to determine how well the lungs are ventilated. The doctor will ask you to take a deep breath, while the spirometer will record your breathing. The tests can be repeated several times and allow scientists to calculate the reversibility of your parameters. If spirometry confirms the diagnosis of dyspnea, you can ask for a referral to a specialist for further evaluation - this may be a pulmonologist or cardiologist. Consult your doctor about respiratory function tests and other tests that may be needed. Pulmonary function tests Functional assessment of airway patency may include respiratory stability tests, excursions