Causes of Dyspnoea based on Organ Systems
Table 1: The common causes of Dyspnoea based on organ systems
| Organ system | Pathology |
| Pulmonary | Airway obstruction Anaphylaxis Pulmonary embolism Spontaneous pneumothorax Asthma Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Pneumonia/pneumonitis/aspiration Pleural effusion Neoplasia Fibrosis Viral pneumonitis, including but not limited to COVID 19 |
| Cardivascular | Pulmonary oedema Acute coronary syndrome Arrhythmia Cardiac tamponade Pericarditis/myocarditis Cardiomyopathy Valvular heart disease Congenital heart disease |
| Infectious | Epiglottitis Pneumonia |
| Traumatic | Pneumothorax (tension, simple) Haemothorax Cardiac tamponade Flail chest Pulmonary contusion Chest wall injury (rib fractures) |
| Abdominal | Ascites Obesity Pregnancy |
| Psychogenic | Anxiety/panic attack Hyperventilation |
| Metabolic | Metabolic acidosis (e.g. DKA) Poisoning/toxic ingestion Renal failure |
| Haematological | Carbon monoxide poisoning Anaemia |
| Neuromuscular | Cerebrovascular accident Guillain-Barre Syndrome |