Dyspnoea and lung disease

Abstract

Patients experiencing dyspnea are commonly referred for advance symptom management in palliative care. Dyspnea is a challenging symptom to manage and requires an understanding of both respiratory mechanics and disease process. This chapter will review strategies to identify, diagnose and prognosticate lung diseases that are associated with significant morbidity. In addition, strategies to effectively manage symptom burden will be reviewed in detail. Case examples are used to illustrate what a patient suffering from respiratory complications or end-stage lung disease could experience. By the end of this chapter, the reader will be able to effectively identify the complexity of prognostication in common end-stage lung diseases and provide ongoing management of patients with dyspnea.