THE "shortness of breath",or dyspnea, is the feeling of difficulty breathing. It usually occurs from cardiac and pulmonary causes, but can be caused by several other conditions.
The lack of air can happen through several mechanisms, such as:
- When the concentration of oxygen in the air is low, as in high altitudes;
- When something obstructs the airways;
- When the heart is weak or there is some obstruction to the blood flow and it is not possible to carry oxygenated blood to the tissues;
- When there is a problem in the lung that prevents the exchange of gases (carbon dioxide and oxygen);
- When the blood can not transport oxygen properly, as in cases of severe anemia or malformed erythrocytes.
Causes of dyspnoea:
Airway obstruction
- Asthma;
- Bronchitis and aggravation for chronic bronchitis;
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD);
- Cystic fibrosis;
- Emphysema;
- Loëffler syndrome, caused by some verminoses, by the passage of the larvae in the lung, bronchi and larynx);
- Laryngeal or pharyngeal cancer (learn more in: What are the symptoms of throat cancer?);
- Nasal obstruction;
- Laryngeal edema.
Diseases of the pleura and pulmonary parenchyma
- Contagious:
- Anthrax: inhalation of Bacillus anthracis;
- Pneumonia;
- Tuberculosis;
- Other lung infections.
- Non contagious:
- Pulmonary Fibrosis (Fibrosing Alveolitis);
- Atelectasis;
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis, interstitial allergic pneumonitis);
- Thrombosis in the arteries of the lungs;
- Interstitial lung disease;
- Lung cancer;
- Bulging pleural effusion;
- Pneumoconiosis;
- Pneumothorax;
- Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema or respiratory distress syndrome;
- Sarcoidosis.
Pulmonary vascular disease
- Pulmonary embolism;
- Pulmonary hypertension;
- Upper vena cava syndrome.
Immobilization of the diaphragm
- Phrenic nerve injury.
Restriction of chest volume
- Ankylosing spondylitis;
- Fractured ribs;
- Cystosis or scoliosis of the spine;
- Obesity;
- Pectus severe excavatum (deformity of the chest and sternum bone characterized by depression of the sternum and ribs in front of the thorax).
Cardiovascular system disorders
- Aortic dissection (Dissection of the aorta);
- Cardiomyopathy;
- Congenital heart disease;
- Heart Arrhythmias;
- CREST syndrome (Limited scleroderma);
- Cardiac insufficiency;
- Ischemic heart disease;
- Malignant hypertension;
- Pericardial diseases, including: Cardiac tamponade and Constrictive pericarditis;
- Pulmonary edema;
- Heart angina (angina pectoris or angina pectoris);
- Pulmonary embolism;
- Valvular heart disease (Valvopathies or valvulopathies).
Blood and metabolism disorders
- Severe anemia;
- Hypothyroidism;
- Adrenal insufficiency;
- Metabolic acidosis;
- Sepsis or septicemia;
- Leukemia.
Disturbances that affect the nerves and muscles of respiration
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease);
- Guillain-Barré syndrome or acute polyradiculoneurite;
- Multiple sclerosis;
- Myasthenia gravis or myasthenia gravis;
- Turner syndrome;
- Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome;
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Psychological diseases
- Anxiety disorder and panic attacks.
Medicines
- Fentanyl (drug of the opioid group).
Others
- Carbon monoxide poisoning, pregnancy, internal chest injuries and massive bleeding, foreign body aspiration.
In case of dyspnea, a doctor (the specialty varies from case to case, but usually a cardiologist or pulmonologist), should be consulted. He / she will be able to evaluate in detail, through anamnesis, physical examination and eventual complementary tests, what his correct diagnosis is, guide him and prescribe the best treatment.
