Knowra Shortness of breath Shortness of breath Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is the subjective sensation of difficult, uncomfortable, or insufficient breathing. It can arise from respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, or psychological causes.
Respiratory drive : The neural command that regulates the intensity of breathing in response to bodily needs. Increased drive can make breathing feel effortful, especially when ventilation cannot meet demand.
Dyspnea : The medical term for the subjective sensation of difficult, uncomfortable, or insufficient breathing. Dyspnea names the symptom without specifying its cause.
Pulse oximetry : A noninvasive method for estimating oxygen saturation in arterial blood. It checks oxygenation, while a normal result does not rule out severe subjective dyspnea.
Asthma : A chronic airway disease marked by variable inflammation, narrowing, and sensitivity to triggers. Reversible airway narrowing can cause episodic wheezing and breathlessness.
Chemoreceptor : A sensory cell or nerve ending that detects chemical changes such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, or acidity. Chemoreceptors can raise respiratory drive when blood gases or pH change.
Tachypnea : An abnormally rapid breathing rate. Breathing may be rapid without felt distress, so rate alone is not dyspnea.
Spirometry : A lung function test that measures the volume and flow of air during breathing. It helps identify airflow obstruction as a contributor to persistent breathlessness.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : A progressive lung disease involving persistent airflow limitation, commonly associated with smoking. Air trapping and reduced airflow often make breathing difficult, especially during exertion.
Work of breathing : The energy required to move air into and out of the lungs. Airway obstruction or stiff lungs increase this effort, often producing breathlessness.
Hypoxemia : An abnormally low concentration of oxygen in arterial blood. Low blood oxygen can accompany breathlessness, but the two do not always occur together.
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