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List of causes of shortness of breath

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Many different conditions can lead to the feeling of dyspnea (shortness of breath). DiagnosisPro, an online medical expert system, listed 497 in October 2010. The most common cardiovascular causes are acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure while common pulmonary causes include: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumothorax, and pneumonia.

Pulmonary

Obstructive lung diseases
Diseases of lung parenchyma and pleura
- Contagious
  - Anthrax through inhalation of Bacillus anthracis
  - Pneumonia
  - COVID-19
- Non-contagious
  - Fibrosing alveolitis
  - Atelectasis
  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
  - Interstitial lung disease
  - Lung cancer
  - Pleural effusion
  - Pneumoconiosis
  - Pneumothorax
  - Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema or acute respiratory distress syndrome
  - Sarcoidosis
Pulmonary vascular diseases
- Acute or recurrent pulmonary emboli
- Pulmonary hypertension, primary or secondary
- Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease
- Superior vena cava syndrome

Other causes

Obstruction of the airway
- Cancer of the larynx or pharynx
- Empty nose syndrome
- Pulmonary aspiration
- Epiglottitis
- Laryngeal edema
- Vocal cord dysfunction
Immobilization of the diaphragm
- Lesion of the phrenic nerve
- Polycystic liver disease
- Tumor in the diaphragm
Restriction of the chest volume
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Broken ribs
- Kyphosis of the spine
- Obesity
- Costochondritis
- Pectus excavatum
- Scoliosis
Disorders of the cardiovascular system
- Aortic dissection
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- CREST syndrome
- Heart failure
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Malignant hypertension
- Pericardium disorders, including:
- Pulmonary edema
- Pulmonary embolism
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Valvular heart disease
Disorders of the blood and metabolism
Disorders of the neurological system
- Ischemic stroke (when it occurs in the brain stem)
- Brain bleed (when it occurs in the brain stem)
Disorders affecting breathing nerves and muscles
Psychological conditions
- Anxiety disorders and panic attacks
Medications
- Fentanyl
Other
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Pregnancy

References

"Differential Diagnosis For Dyspnea: Poisoning (Specific Agent)". Archived from the original on 2010-11-16. Retrieved 2012-08-23.
Shiber JR, Santana J (May 2006). "Dyspnea". Med. Clin. North Am. 90 (3): 453–79. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2005.11.006. PMID 16473100.
Hwu WL, Suzuki Y, Yang X, et al. (February 2000). "Late-onset holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency with homologous R508W mutation". J. Formos. Med. Assoc. 99 (2): 174–7. PMID 10770035.
Simpson, Kathleen Rice; Patricia A Creehan (2007). Perinatal Nursing (3rd ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-7817-6759-0.