Eval of Dyspnea (Final) Flashcards
What is dyspnea?
A subjective sensation of shortness of breath or breathing discomfort
Chronic dyspnea = symptoms greater than ___
1 month
The underlying cause of dyspnea is NOT directly related to?
duration or severity!
How might a patient describe the sensation of dyspnea?
Varies widely from “I can’t catch my breath” to “chest tightness”
Dyspnea accounts for what percentage of all FP visits?
4%
At what ages does dyspnea most commonly occur?
Pediatrics and Ages 55-69
(bell shaped presentation)
What type of disorder will a large percentage of dyspneic patients already have diagnosed?
Cardiopulmonary disorder - which accounts for the dyspnea
*REMEMBER, patients can have more than one issue!
Approximately 2/3rds of dyspnea cases are caused by what two disorders?
Pulmonary or Cardiac
Of the 2/3rds of dyspnea cases caused by pulmonary or cardiac disorders, 85% of them have what conditions?
- Asthma
- CHF
- COPD
- PNA
- Cardiac ischemia
- Interstitial lung disease
1/3 of dyspnea causes have nothing to do with the heart and lungs, and include what conditions?
- Metabolic (DKA)
- Deconditioning
- Anemia
- Psychogenic
What should be on your DDX for cardiac causes of chronic dyspnea?
- CHF
- CAD
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Pericardial dz
- Valvular heart dz
What should be on your DDX for pulmonary causes of chronic dyspnea?
- COPD
- Asthma
- Interstitial lung dz
- Pleural effusion
- Malignancy
- Bronchiectasis
What fraction of patients will have another complaint other than dyspnea?
2/3rds
Patients with dyspnea often complain of what other symptoms?
- Cough 17%
- CP 5%
- Fatigue 3.5%
- Out of medication 3.2%
- Wheezing 2.5%
- Peripheral edema 2%
The cause of dyspnea is ___ in 1/3 of patients
Multifactoral (Jaynstein’s favorite word ever)
*ie COPD with concurrent URI
The diagnoses of dyspnea can be made in ___ of all patients with ___ alone!
The diagnoses of dyspnea can be made in half of all patients with history alone!
A patient with a h/o smoking is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Lung
A patient with a h/o HTN, CAD, obesity, valve disorder is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Cardiac
A patient with a slower onset of symptoms is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Lung
A patient with a more rapid onset of symptoms is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Cardiac
A patient with dyspnea at rest is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Lung
A patient with dyspnea with exertion is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Cardiac
A patient with a productive cough is more likely to have lung or cardiac disease?
Lung
A true cough is rare in lung or cardiac disease?
Cardiac
What is on the top of your DDX for a patient who presents with increased work of breathing, feeling of suffocation, and air hunger?
COPD
What dyspnea symptoms would a patient with CHF commonly present with?
- Rapid breathing
- Feeling of suffocation
- Air hunger
What dyspnea symptoms would a patient with interstitial lung dz commonly present with?
Increased work of breathing