Articles related to DYSPNEA

Are you current on the latest treatment modalities for managing dyspnea in severe COPD? Test your knowledge with this quiz and stay ahead in patient care.

Examine the case of a young smoker with acute dyspnea whose chest CT reveals oddly shaped cysts to uncover a mystery that goes beyond usual diagnostics and leads us into the world of uncommon lung disorders.

Uncover vital insights about supplemental oxygen use, demystify misconceptions, and learn best practices for managing respiratory diseases. Good day, physicians. Let’s talk about the controversial issue of supplemental oxygen use, frequently discussed by patients, clinicians, advocacy groups, and even politicians. In this summary, we’ll untangle misconceptions and illuminate best practices. To start with, the body’s oxygen utilization depends on three things: lung function, heart efficiency, and muscle oxygen use. These factors can improve with exercise, but worsen with inactivity. Remember, exercise matters. Why does oxygen matter? For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), or pulmonary hypertension (PH), impaired oxygenation can lead to hypoxemia and hypoxia. Hence, supplemental oxygen becomes a necessity. How do we assess oxygen levels? Two tests can be employed: arterial blood gas (ABG) or pulse oximetry. Normal partial pressure of oxygen, as per ABG, is around 75-100 mmHg, and a drop below 60 necessitates supplemental oxygen. Oxygen saturation, measurable via either test, should ideally be 95% or above, and values dropping to 90 or below indicate the need for supplemental oxygen. Now, let’s dispel some myths. Shortness of breath doesn’t always equate to hypoxia. A patient can experience breathlessness even with normal oxygen […]

This large cohort study evaluated the frequency of 70 long COVID outcomes in unvaccinated individuals with mild COVID infection matched to uninfected individuals and to vaccinated individuals. Anosmia and dysgeusia were the most frequently reported long COVID symptoms with the risk being dramatically increasing at 30 days to 6 months post infection and falling rapidly thereafter. Mild COVID generated an 85% increased risk of cognitive impairment an 80% increased risk of dyspnea and weakness and a nearly 50% increased risk for palpitations. The findings were consistent across all COVID variants and were more marked in adults than children. Vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infection had similar risk for all these outcomes with the exception of dyspnea, for which the risk was lower in vaccinated persons.

85-year-old woman with Hx of stage 3 chronic kidney disease New onset dyspnea and intermittent mild fever Slight difficulty opening her mouth; no dental caries or cervical lymphadenopathy Elevated CRP Elevated BUN Follow the case as it develops.

There is plenty of psychological material that can be examined in the palliative care encounter, despite the fact that it is frequently practiced by doctors with backgrounds outside of mental health training. This case presentation and associated discussion to introduce the psychological aspects of palliative medicine to psychiatrists and psychotherapists is based on the palliative care consultation sought with the multiple objectives of alleviating a patient’s severe death anxiety and persistent dyspnea, as well as helping in the clarification of his end-of-life wishes.