Simple shortness of breath is usual after exertion. This is a natural reaction of the body which allows it to oxygenate normally. No worries in that case. On the other hand, the occurrence of shortness of breath for no particular reason, at rest, and even more so with other symptoms such as a change in heart rate, sweating, swollen legs, etc., should alert and be taken seriously. serious. Such shortness of breath can indeed be the signs of pathologies which for some of them are likely to be serious.
Everyone knows that feeling of being out of breath after an intense effort. The simple shortness of breath is due to a normal increase in his breathing rate when his body is under intense strain. Shortness of breath then allows the body to increase its oxygen supply.
In this case, shortness of breath is completely normal. This is a natural reaction of our body that should not alert more than that.
What should be taken more seriously is a simple shortness of breath that occurs without having made a major effort beforehand, even while you are at rest. Shortness of breath that handicaps the point of not being able to move normally, take charge of activities of daily living, etc., should alert and encourage you to report it to your doctor.
In the medical community, this type of shortness of breath, synonymous with difficulty breathing, is called dyspnea. This pathology can be described as serious if it is accompanied by other signs such as cyanosis (when the lips and fingers take on a bluish appearance), a slowing of the heart rate or, on the contrary, an acceleration, sweating, behavior, or drowsiness.
On the other hand, if this shortness of breath occurs more and more often, for no apparent reason, and with other symptoms such as swollen legs, chest pain, cough and fever, or for example wheezing when breathing, take this sign very seriously and talk to your doctor about it.
Note:an unusual and greater than normal shortness of breath that occurs suddenly should alert and push to quickly call the emergency services because it can announce a heart attack or a pulmonary embolism.
Shortness of breath that comes back regularly and that is not due to a particular intense effort should alert because it can be linked to illnesses that can turn out to be serious.
Thus, abnormal shortness of breath can most often be the sign of diseases, particularly heart and respiratory diseases. Significant overweight, which needs to be treated, can also be the cause of unusual shortness of breath, as can a state of anxiety, even depression, which should not be neglected and treated.
However, shortness of breath that doesn't seem like "simple" to you is in most cases related to malfunctions of the heart or lungs. These can have different origins.
Respiratory diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, or even pneumopathies (lung conditions), including in particular chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease often called "chronic bronchitis" which is characterized by a decrease persistent flow of inspired gases and shortness of breath initially on exertion and then gradually occurring at rest. This last disease is to be taken very seriously because the vital prognosis of those affected can be engaged when it develops.
Abnormal shortness of breath can also be caused by heart conditions like heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, low blood pressure, aortic stenosis (a disease that affects the valves of the heart and is more common with age). P>
Smoking, which is the cause of the majority of lung cancers, also contributes to making sudden shortness of breath more frequent and without any particular reason. Similarly, abnormal shortness of breath can reveal anemia (a decrease in red blood cells that causes a state of great weakness), a disease more common in seniors.
