Dyspnea
Dyspnea is a breathing disorder
that makes breathing difficult, and can make the sufferer feel as though he or
she is suffocating or fighting for air. It is frequently associated with
problems either in the lungs or the heart.
Someone with dyspnea may
experience this condition in a variety of ways.
Some patients find it difficult to draw in breath, while
others have trouble exhaling. It may be difficult to move air through the
lungs.
Or it may be possible to inhale and exhale normally, but the
patient may feel starved for air because the capacity for air diffusion in the
lungs has been diminished.