Dyspnea
Dyspnea (also known as shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, or breathing difficulty) sucks. Let us elaborate.
Definition
According to the American Thoracic Society, dyspnea is a "subjective experience of breathing discomfort that is comprised of qualitatively distinct sensations that very in intensity." Wow, that's a mouthful. Saying that definition out loud definitely can cause dyspnea. Have an inhaler ready.
Symptoms
Well, the main symptom for dyspnea is dyspnea, sometimes shortness of breath. Onset can be sudden or gradual, range from mild to severe, intermittent or nocturnal, and can be caused by anything from bad lungs (COPD exacerbation) to bad interns ("You gave the patient how much insulin?!?").
Signs
Oxygen saturation is the most helpful of the vital signs; respiratory rate, not so much, since it'll be documented as 16 breaths/min anyway. Physical exam has been replaced by radiology, but should you do a physical exam, it is helpful to see how many lungs the patient has. stethoscopes are relics of the past, but should you find one, you can try to listen to some lung sounds. (For a helpful guide on the lung exam, see Gomerblog's Physical Exam Tips: The Lung.) Clubbing is something that can only be picked up on a Friday or Saturday night. JVD may suggest the presence of JVP. Distant heart sounds suggest that you should move in a bit closer.
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