symptoms of lung disorders
lung and airway disorders
Shortness of Breath
Dyspnea is usually caused by disorders of the lungs or heart (see table). Themost commoncauses overall include Asthma None Overview of Pneumonia None Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (COPD) A Acute Coronary Syndromes (Heart Attack; Myocardial Infarction; Unstable Angina) or Heart Failure (HF) None Physical deconditioning (for example, weakening of muscles and the heart due to inactivity) Weight gain Pregnancy Pulmonary Embolism (PE) (sudden blockage of an artery of the lung, usually by a blood clot) is a less common, but serious cause. The most common cause in people with a chronic lung or heart disorder is Worsening of their disease However, such people may also develop another disorder. For example, people with long-standing asthma may have a heart attack, or people with chronic heart failure may develop pneumonia. People who have lung disorders often experience dyspnea when they physically exert themselves. During exercise, the body makes more carbon dioxide and uses more oxygen. The respiratory center in the brain speeds up breathing when blood levels of oxygen are low or blood levels of carbon dioxide are high. If the heart or lungs are not functioning normally, even a little exertion can dramatically increase the breathing rate and dyspnea. Dyspnea is so unpleasant that people avoid exertion. As the lung disorder becomes more severe, dyspnea may occur even when the person is at rest. Dyspnea may result from Restrictive lung disorders Obstructive lung disorders (such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ), lungs become stiff and require more effort to expand during inhalation. Severe curvature of the spine ( (such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or People with asthma have dyspnea when they have an attack. Doctors typically advise people to keep an inhaler on hand to use during an attack. The medication in the inhaler helps open the airways. The heart pumps blood through the lungs. If the heart is pumping inadequately (called Heart Failure (HF) ), fluid may accumulate in the lungs—a disorder called pulmonary edema. This disorder causes dyspnea that is often accompanied by a feeling of smothering or heaviness in the chest. The fluid accumulation in the lungs may also narrow the airways and cause wheezing—a disorder called Some people with heart failure have orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, or both. Orthopnea is shortness of breath that occurs when people lie down and is relieved by sitting up. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea is a sudden, often terrifying attack of dyspnea during sleep. People awaken gasping and must sit or stand to catch their breath. This disorder is an extreme form of orthopnea and a sign of severe heart failure. When people have Overview of Anemia or have lost a large amount of blood because of an injury, they have fewer red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues, so in these people, the amount of oxygen that blood can deliver is decreased. Most people with anemia are comfortable sitting still. However, they often feel dyspnea during physical activity because the blood cannot deliver the increased oxygen the body requires. Thus, they breathe rapidly and deeply in a reflex effort to try to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. Acidosis None Inhyperventilation syndrome,people feel that they cannot get enough air, and they breathe heavily and rapidly. This syndrome is commonly caused by anxiety rather than a physical problem. Many people who experience it are frightened, may have chest pain, and may believe they are having a heart attack. They may have a change in consciousness, usually described as feeling that events occurring around them are far away, and they may feel tingling in their hands and feet and around their mouth. 