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Shortness of breath, a subjective difficulty or distress in breathing, usually associated with disease of the heart or lungs; occurs normally during intense physical exertion or at high altitude. [G. dyspnoia, fr. dys-, bad, + pnoe, breathing]
- expiratory d. difficulty with the expiratory phase of breathing, often due to obstruction in the larynx or large bronchi, such as by a foreign body.
- nocturnal d. d. occurring at night, several hours after assuming recumbent position. Occurs in heart failure and results from reabsorption of water from dependent areas after removal of effect of gravity, causing hypervolemia, aggravating left-ventricular failure.
- paroxysmal nocturnal d. acute d. appearing suddenly at night, usually waking the patient from sleep; caused by pulmonary congestion with or without pulmonary edema that results from left-sided heart failure following mobilization of fluid from dependent areas after lying down.
- Traube d. obsolete eponym for inspiratory d. with maximal expansion of the chest and a slow respiratory rhythm.
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dys·pne·ic or chiefly Brit dys·pnoe·ic -nē-ik adj
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dysp·nea (disp-neґə) (dispґne-ə) [dys- + -pnea] breathlessness or shortness of breath; difficult or labored respiration. dyspneic adjMedical dictionary. 2011.