Causes of shortness of breath in the elderly
Dyspnea is a violation of the frequency and depth of breathing, accompanied by a feeling of lack of air. The American Thoracic Society defines the condition as "the subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively different sensations that vary in intensity." There is a distinction between inspiratory and expiratory shortness of breath. With the first, breathing is difficult, and it can be a manifestation of heart disease. When the lumen of the small bronchi is narrowed or the lung tissue loses its elasticity (with bronchial asthma, emphysema of the lungs), expiratory shortness of breath occurs, in which exhalation is difficult. Shortness of breath is a normal condition with significant physical exertion, but it is considered a pathology if it occurs at rest or with little stress.
In 85% of cases, shortness of breath is caused by:
- bronchial asthma;
- pneumonia;
- CHD (ischemic heart disease);
- IHL (interstitial lung disease);
- CHF (chronic heart failure);
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
- pneumothorax;
- edema of the lungs;
- neurological and psychogenic reasons, such as panic disorder.
Also, shortness of breath can occur with pathology of the musculoskeletal system, endocrine disorders. A total of 497 different causes of shortness of breath are known. Mild shortness of breath during pregnancy is considered a physiological condition associated with a change in the hormonal background and the pressure of the uterus on the diaphragm.
Shortness of breath in heart failure
The most common cardiovascular diseases that cause shortness of breath are heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. Chronic heart failure occurs with stagnation of blood in the lungs, which is accompanied by shortness of breath on exertion, orthopnea (in the supine position) and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. The condition is observed in 10% of people over the age of 65.
Shortness of breath in heart failure is noted in any form of the disease. Due to frequent attacks of suffocation, the condition is called cardiac asthma. Weakness and shortness of breath at rest are characteristic not only of heart failure. A sudden feeling of lack of air can be the result of pulmonary embolism, spontaneous pneumothorax, and even strong excitement.
Shortness of breath during physical exertion is not considered a specific sign of CHF. It can appear both in other diseases and in patients with excess weight, low fitness and emotional lability.
Treatment of cardiac dyspnea consists in the therapy of the underlying disease. Shortness of breath is a symptom characteristic of many diseases, therefore, in case of any breathing disorder, you should consult a doctor and undergo an examination.
Severe shortness of breath and cough in a child
In children, shortness of breath occurs with diseases that occur with damage to the lung parenchyma or small bronchi. It manifests itself in rapid breathing. To determine the presence of shortness of breath, you should count the number of respiratory movements of the child's chest in a state of rest (sleep), because breathing becomes more frequent during crying, emotional excitement and during active games.
Severe shortness of breath and cough in a child, cyanosis (blueness around the mouth, bluing of the fingertips) are signs of a serious illness that requires emergency treatment. Therefore, when shortness of breath appears, especially against the background of elevated body temperature, you should immediately call a doctor. Shortness of breath and cough can be symptoms of pneumonia, false croup and other serious diseases.
Dyspnea in bronchopulmonary diseases
An acute bronchopulmonary disease can be the cause of shortness of breath in the elderly. Constant, slowly progressing shortness of breath is a sign of COPD, chronic obstructive bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema of the lungs, bronchiolitis. Therefore, if there is shortness of breath when walking, the cause is not always heart failure, as many believe.
Constant shortness of breath is characteristic of progressive emphysema of the lungs. When bronchial obstruction develops, it becomes expiratory. Shortness of breath with bronchitis in humans is also mainly expiratory in nature. Initially, it occurs against the background of significant physical exertion or during an exacerbation of the disease, but as the disease progresses, it becomes permanent.
The most common reason for going to the emergency department with shortness of breath is bronchial asthma. The disease is diagnosed in approximately 5% of the population. Wheezing, tightness in the chest, non-productive cough and attacks of suffocation are the main symptoms of BA. During the height of the attack, the patient has pronounced expiratory shortness of breath: short inhalation, slow exhalation, several times longer than inhalation, accompanied by wheezing. An attack of suffocation can turn into an asthmatic status, which threatens coma and even death.
Shortness of breath in other diseases
The feeling of lack of air can occur not only in lung and heart diseases. Shortness of breath is one of the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine. Together with other manifestations of the disease, shortness of breath significantly worsens the quality of life, leading to a limitation of work capacity. How to treat shortness of breath in osteochondrosis? The answer is no way. Shortness of breath is a symptom of the disease, so treatment should be aimed at treating osteochondrosis and correcting neurological disorders. At the same time, the cause of shortness of breath should be established, as with the diagnosis of "osteochondrosis", breathing disorders can be caused by other conditions: heart failure, bronchopulmonary pathology, and so on. Read more about the treatment of osteochondrosis on our website https://dobrobut.com/
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