Main description:

Complex breathlessness (breathlessness with an unclear cause or that appears disproportionate to underlying causes) is an important and often neglected condition that presents a challenge to both patients and clinicians. This Monograph aims to provide clinicians at all levels with a comprehensive guide to complex breathlessness. Covering all aspects of this challenging clinical scenario, it will prove a useful resource when faced with a symptomatic breathless patient with no obvious underlying cause or with disproportionate symptoms. Several less commonly considered clinical entities and their associated features are highlighted, and approaches to breathlessness management are suggested in the absence of a clear diagnosis or set of abnormalities on investigation.

Contents:

The epidemiology of breathlessness; The neuroscience of breathlessness; The physiology of breathlessness; Tools for assessing complex breathlessness; A systematic approach to assessing complex breathlessness; Laryngeal considerations in complex breathlessness; Breathlessness in large airway collapse; Breathing pattern disorder; Complex breathlessness: allergic factors; Pulmonary vascular causes of complex breathlessness: exercise pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary veno-occlusive disease and pre-load failure; Cardiovascular causes of complex breathlessness; Complex breathlessness in postural tachycardia syndrome and autonomic dysfunction; Complex breathlessness: assessment of treatment adherence and treatable traits; Challenges in the approach to the management of complex or unexplained breathlessness; The management of chronic breathlessness