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| woman with difficulty of breathing |
Are you easily out of breath after climbing a flight of stairs or simply having to hurry to catch a metro? Perhaps you are suffering from dyspnea. Doctor Kevin Adolf, general practitioner, enlightens us on the origins of dyspnea and its symptoms.
Dyspnea: What is it?
Dyspnea is a respiratory gene which on inspiration, either on expiration, or both at the same time. It may be accompanied by rapid or wheezing breathing, a sensation of tightness in the chest, increased heart rate and fatigue. To confirm the dyspnea and understand its origin, the doctor will prescribe various examinations: a blood test, a stress test, an ECG, a chest x-ray.
What are the causes of shortness of breath?
Dyspnea can be a sign of many diseases and allergies.
The two major causes of dyspnea are heart and lung.
Cardiac factors: high blood pressure can restrict breathing, hide a heart attack or an abnormality of the valves.
Pulmonary factors: asthma which compresses the muscle around the bronchi decreases the passage of air and causes expiratory dyspnea. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pneumonia can be cause of dyspnea as well.
Allergic factor: angioedema.
Metabolic: Obesity is a cause of dyspnea.
Anemia and certain neuromuscular diseases can also cause dyspnea.
What is exertional dyspnea?
We talk about exertional dyspnea when it occurs even with minimal effort. Simple gestures of everyday life, a bit of accelerated walking, a rapid climb of the stairs can become disabling and require you to stop to catch your breath.
What is disabling dyspnea?
If the dyspnea appears permanently or during usual activities such as sports or physical work, it is considered disabling dyspnea. Many professions are then closed to patients who have difficulty leading a normal life. Dyspnea can hide a serious pathology and requires medical treatment if it lasts longer than a week.
What is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea?
Even more serious is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. It even occurs when lying down and can be accompanied by an increase or decrease in heart rate which is normal at 16 cycles per minute. It reflects a worsening of the pathology if the treatment is followed and may reveal a severe cardiac or pulmonary pathology. This is an emergency that requires immediate treatment from a general practitioner who will then refer to an ENT or pulmonologist.
Dyspnea and Covid-19:
recognize the signs The new Covid-19 virus, unknown a few months ago, has a pulmonary and cardiovascular tropism. Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is one of the prime symptoms of the disease. The virus invades the airways and respiratory tract either by direct contact or by inhalation of the projected particles. It is therefore important to ensure certain rules of hygiene and social distancing. Urgent medical care is required if the signs (fatigue, chest pain, fever, anosmia, cough, etc.) do not spontaneously improve after one week.
Dyspnea: medical management and the importance of prevention
Along with medical care and good adherence to treatment, prevention is essential, even when asthma is involved. It is especially important to stop smoking in order to reduce risks. Active or passive smoking indeed plays a determining role in the occurrence of this type of pathology, by weakening basic vital functions and by irritating the bronchi with toxic components. Another important aspect is that of adopting a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet in order to avoid overweight, which is another aggravating factor.
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