ENLmedical.com: Conditions And Concerns: Medical Encyclopedia

Breathing difficulty, lying down

Considerations:
For people with some types of heart or lung problems, this is a common complaint. Sometimes the problem is subtle and is only noticed when the person realized that sleep is more comfortable with lots of pillows under the head or in a propped up position.

Common Causes:

heart failure
panic disorder
hypertensive heart disease
obesity (does not directly cause difficult breathing while lying down, but it often aggravates other conditions)
sleep apnea
snoring
cor pulmonale

Note: There may be other causes of orthopnea. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as location, quality, time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for orthopnea, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.

Home Care:
Follow the doctor's prescribed therapy. Some temporary relief may be provided by leaning over a table with the chest forward. Weight reduction , in cases of obesity , is recommended.

Call Your Healthcare Provider If:

there is any unexplained difficulty in breathing while lying down.

What to Expect:
The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination will be performed.

Medical history questions documenting nocturnal dyspnea include:

time pattern
- Did this develop suddenly?
- Has it been developing slowly?
- Is it slowly getting worse (progressive)?
quality
- How bad is it?
- How many pillows are required to breathe comfortably?
aggravating factors
- Is there any ankle, feet, and leg swelling ?
- Does the person have difficulty breathing at other times?
- How tall is the person? How much do they weigh?
other
- What other symptoms are also present?

The physical examination will include special attention to the heart and lungs ( cardiovascular and respiratory systems).

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Supplemental oxygen may be administered.

After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to breathing difficulty when lying down, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.