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Breathing & Respiratory Difficulties

Alternative Names: 

Difficulty breathing, lung conditions, wheezing, shortness of breath, breathless, dyspnea

Definition: 

Patients experiencing breathing and respiratory difficulties typically note feelings of breathlessness and uncomfortable breathing. Patients may also experience the feeling of not being able to get  enough air or may feel wheezy.

Symptoms: 

Uncomfortable feelings when breathing, wheezing, shortness of breath, feelings of blockage in air passageways (nose, throat,  mouth)

Exams/Testing: 

When a patient experiences difficulty breathing, a doctor will likely ask a series of questions to attempt to determine the cause of the condition. A physical examination where a medical professional will examine the  lungs, heart and air passages is likely and a doctor may request further testing such as a blood test, X-ray or CT scan of the chest, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and pulmonary function tests to better understand the condition.

Outlook/Prognosis: 

Difficulty breathing is associated with a myriad of conditions and therefore overall outlook varies significantly from patient to patient, depending greatly on the cause of the symptoms.

Causes (specific drugs): 
Ambien
Atenolol
Baclofen
Bactrim
Boostrix
Botox
Brovana
Carisoprodol
Cataflam
Concerta
Darvocet
Demerol
DepoDur
Diclofenac
Doryx
Duragesic Patch
Effexor
Elaprase
Floxin
Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic
Foradil
Metformin
Methadone
Naproxen
OxyContin
Promethazine
Serevent
Seroquel
Trasylol
Valium
Viagra
Vicodin
Xyrem