What is Dyspnea?

Dyspnea is a comprehensive manifestation of subjective sensations and objective signs. Patients feel subjectively feel inadequate inhalation and breathing effort, and objectively show changes in breathing frequency, rhythm and depth. In severe cases, open mouth breathing, nose flap fanning, sitting breath, and even cyanosis. Dyspnea is one of the main clinical symptoms of respiratory failure.

Basic Information

Visiting department

Cardiac Surgery

Common locations

lung

Common causes

Respiratory failure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, acidosis, acute infections, and blood diseases can also cause respiratory failure.

Common symptoms

Breathing difficulties, open mouth breathing, nose flaps, sitting breaths, and even cyanosis in severe cases

Causes of Dyspnea

1. Respiratory diseases Airway obstruction, lung diseases, chest wall, thoracic and pleural diseases, sickness diseases and restricted movement.
2. Cardiac failure, constrictive pericarditis, etc. due to various causes of cardiovascular system diseases.
3. Other obesity, acidosis, acute infections, and blood diseases can also cause respiratory failure.

Clinical manifestations of dyspnea

1. Pulmonary dyspnea (1) Inspiratory dyspnea: manifested as wheezing, inspiratory effort, and in severe cases, three concave signs can appear, that is, the upper sternal fossa, supraclavicular fossa, and intercostal space are markedly depressed.
(2) expiratory dyspnea: manifested as exerting effort, exhaling significantly and slowly, often accompanied by wheezing.
(3) Mixed dyspnea: manifested as both inspiratory and expiratory sensations, increased breathing frequency, shallower amplitude, and often accompanied by reduced or disappeared breathing sounds.
2. Cardiogenic dyspnea is manifested or aggravated during activity, relieved or relieved at rest, aggravated in supine position, and relieved in seated position. Mild cases can be relieved within a short period of time, and severe cases show asthma, bluish complexion, cough pink foamy sputum.
3. Toxic dyspnea may produce deep, irregular breathing, and the frequency may be fast or slow.

Dyspnea test

1. Blood cell analysis, sputum culture, etc.
2. Lung function test.
3. Bronchoscopy and thoracoscopy.
4. ECG, echocardiogram.
5. Ultrasound inspection.
6. Pulmonary angiography CT, radionuclide ventilation / blood flow scan.

Dyspnea diagnosis

1. Medical history Note the history of heart, lung and kidney, the history of bronchial asthma, the history of poisoning, the history of dust or foreign body inhalation, the history of allergies, etc.
2. Clinical manifestations First determine whether it is dyspnea, observe the patient's breathing frequency, depth, rhythm, breathing pattern, and whether there are clinical signs such as "three concave signs".
3. Auxiliary examination can be diagnosed based on blood cell analysis, sputum culture, pulmonary function examination, electrocardiogram examination, etc.

Differential diagnosis of dyspnea

Including pulmonary dyspnea, cardiogenic dyspnea, and toxic dyspnea.

Dyspnea treatment

1. Etiological treatment When the diagnosis is established, etiological treatment is performed. Such as timely removal of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, relief of laryngospasm, removal of new organisms, incision and drainage of pharyngeal abscesses, treatment of heart failure, control of asthma attacks, extraction of pleural effusion or gas accumulation.
2. Symptomatic treatment According to the patient's condition, such as the degree of dyspnea, the cause of the disease, the presence or absence of concurrent disease, etc., combined with specific conditions, choose different treatment options.
(1) General treatment: take the patient in a semi-recumbent position and give the patient suction. Appropriate fluid replacement, severe anemia to correct anemia.
(2) Oxygen therapy: Oxygen is given to patients. The oxygen flow rate and concentration depend on the situation.
3. Drug therapy Give patients sedatives, respiratory stimulants, adrenal corticosteroids, antibiotics and other drugs for treatment.
4. Surgical treatment Surgical methods include tracheotomy, endotracheal intubation, and bronchoscopy.