clinical junior.com - differential diagnosis and causes of Dyspnoea / Breathlessness / Shortness of Breath

The following document was written by Mr Vik Veer MBBS(lond) MRCS(eng) DoHNS(eng) in Dec 2007. You may use the information here for personal use but if you intend to publish or present it, you must clearly credit the author and www.clinicaljunior.com
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Causes of Dyspnoea / Breathlessness / Shortness of Breath

Lung disease

Sudden onset

Inhaled foreign body

Pulmonary embolism

Pneumothorax

Onset in hours

Asthma

Pneumonia

Pulmonary oedema

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis

Onset in days

Pleural effusion

Carcinoma of bronchus / trachea

Onset in months

COPD

Fibrosis of the lung (occupation, allergic reaction, pneumocosis)

Fibrosis of the lung (occupation, allergic reaction, pneumocosis)

Cardiovascular

MI +/- LVF +/- cardiogenic shock

Percarditis / pericardial tamponade

Cardiac arrhythmia

Anaemia

High altitude sickness

Endocrinology / Metabolic

Thyrotoxicosis

Metabolic acidosis

Ketoacidosis

Uraemia

Musculoskeletal

Large abdominal mass – pregnancy, massive organomegaly

Thoracic cage deformity

Obesity

Neurological

Anxiety

Increased Intracranial pressure

Phrenic nerve dysfunction

Muscular dystrophy, polio, myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre syndrome

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