Breathing difficulty

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Breathing

Overview

Treatment

Breathing difficulty - lying down

Definition:

Breathing difficulty while lying down is an abnormal condition in which a person must keep the head elevated (by sitting or standing) to be able to breathe deeply or comfortably, or is awakened suddenly during the night feeling short of breath (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea).

Alternative Names:

Waking at night short of breath; Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea; PND; Difficulty breathing while lying down; Orthopnea

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 realizes that sleep is more comfortable with lots of pillows under the head, or in a propped-up position.

Common Causes:

Heart failure
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Panic disorder
Hypertensive heart disease
Obesity (does not directly cause difficulty breathing while lying down but often aggravates other conditions)
Sleep apnea
Snoring
Cor pulmonale

Review Date: 1/24/2005
Reviewed By: Thomas A. Owens, M.D., Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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