How to assess a patient with breathlessness

Abstract

This article is aimed to guide Junior doctors in the assessment and initial management of a patient presenting with breathlessness - a presentation very commonly seen in the wards and the emergency department.

This article outlines the most common causes of breathlessness in adults and what to look for on examining the patient. It also elaborates on the preliminary investigations required to make a diagnosis and the initial treatment that can be administered at the level of a Junior doctor.