Managing Chronic Breathlessness
Relevent clinical background[edit | edit source]
Breathlessness is a complex sensation that affects the person experiencing it negatively as well it being unpleasant and oftentime scary for those witnessing their loved one's situation.[1] Breathlessness or dyspnea is increasing hand in hand with an aging population and in chronic respiratory diseases where often multimorbidiy is evident.[2]
Dyspnea results when there is a excess of stimulation in the pathways between the brain and the phrenic and intercostal nerves supplying the respiratory muscles. A mismatch of the sensory inputs and the motor output results in breathlessness. Descriptions of breathlessness include, airhunger, chest tightness and increased work to breathe.[3] Breathlessness can be described as how intense it it as well the how it's perceived and this can vary from person to person. Additonally, emotions, anxiety, and fear are often associated with this sensation and create a negative loop.
Outcome Measures[edit | edit source]
Medical Research Council Dyspnea (MRC) 1-5 Scale [1]A modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) 0-4 scale may be used in some clinical settings
Dyspnoea Management Questionnaire Dyspnoea
Modified Borg Scale
Management / Interventions[edit | edit source]
add text here relating to management approaches to the condition
Resources[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://www.pcrs-uk.org/sites/default/files/pcru/articles/2020-January-Issue-19-Breathlessness.pdf
- ↑ Currow DC, Dal Grande E, Ferreira D, Johnson MJ, McCaffrey N, Ekström M. Chronic breathlessness associated with poorer physical and mental health-related quality of life (SF-12) across all adult age groups. Thorax. 2017;72(12):1151-1153. doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2016-209908
- ↑ T. Nishino, Dyspnoea: underlying mechanisms and treatment, BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia, Volume 106, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 463–474, https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aer040
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