Breathlessness

Breathlessness is a difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath and may first be noted when running for a bus or going up a flight of stairs. Symptoms of cough, fever and chest pain may also be present. Breathlessness may occur slowly over a few days or weeks or happen more suddenly depending on the cause.

If accompanied with cough and fever then this is usually due to an underlying lung infection (pneumonia). Causes include bacterial infections, tuberculosis or opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), aspergillosis and histoplasmosis. The risk of PCP is, however, uncommon in someone whose CD4 count is greater than 200 cells/mm³.

Non-infective causes of breathlessness include Kaposi's sarcoma in the lungs, asthma, heart problems and a low blood count (anaemia). Anxiety can worsen breathlessness, or cause breathlessness in its own right.

It is important to seek urgent medical advice because with pneumonia, early treatment and diagnosis will usually result in less severe illness and more rapid recovery. Apart from treating the underlying cause, some cases of breathlessness may be relieved by breathing oxygen via a mask, depending on the cause. This also allows body tissues to get the supply of oxygen they need, avoiding damage. Morphine and related drugs may also be used to treat breathlessness among people with active disease.

See also: Cough.