Dyspnea

Abstract

There are at least three reasons for measuring breathlessness in symptomatic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). First, although dyspnea is a warning signal, it also limits activities (e.g., patients stop to rest during housework, carrying packages, or climbing stairs in order to minimize dyspnea). This was conformed by a telephone survey of over 3000 patients with COPD in North America and Europe [1]. Of patients less than 65 years of age, 56% reported shortness of breath during normal physical activities, and 42% described breathlessness while doing household chores. These experiences commonly lead patients to seek medical attention.