Dyspnea of mixed type (DSM) is a breathing disorder that manifests itself as a combination of two or more different types of shortness of breath. This type of shortness of breath may be associated with diseases of the lungs, cardiovascular system, and other pathologies.
Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms in patients suffering from heart and lung diseases. It occurs due to disruption of the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. Air ventilation in the lungs is impaired, which leads to a decrease in the amount of oxygen delivered to the body.
Most often, mixed shortness of breath occurs with cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and arterial hypertension. In addition, this pathology may be associated with respiratory pathology, such as chronic bronchitis, pneumonia or bronchial asthma.
With mixed shortness of breath, most patients experience a combination of symptoms such as difficulty breathing during physical activity, a feeling of shortness of breath, heavy sighs and a feeling of suffocation. Breathing may be rapid, loud, and shallow. This condition may be accompanied by dizziness, palpitations and sweating.
The main causes of mixed type shortness of breath are associated with pathological processes in the lungs and cardiovascular system. One of the main causes of lung diseases is smoking, respiratory failure, allergies, and infectious diseases. Among the causes of pathologies of the cardiovascular system are hypertension, heart failure, coronary pathologies, heart defects, and atherosclerosis. Mixed shortness of breath can also be caused by congenital deformities of the chest.