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Palliation of breathlessness

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Palliative Care and Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 100))

Abstract

The semantics of breathlessness has the potential to cause confusion. The terms dyspnea (spelled dyspnoea in the United Kingdom), breathlessness, and shortness of breath are sometimes used interchangeably. I prefer to use the term breathlessness, since it is a word readily understood by patients and frequently used by them. A variety of definitions have been proffered, some physiological, others etiological or functional or in terms of quality of life. The one suggested by Guz is particularly attractive, since it highlights several important aspects including the fact that breathlessness is an occasional, normal phenomenon in healthy people:’ Breathlessness is that common feeling of an uncomfortable difficulty in breathing’ [1].

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Authors
  1. Carol L. Davis
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Palliative Studies, San Diego Hospice, San Diego, California, USA

    Charles F. von Gunten M.D., Ph.D, FACP

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Davis, C.L. (1999). Palliation of breathlessness. In: von Gunten, C.F. (eds) Palliative Care and Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 100. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5003-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5003-7_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7272-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5003-7

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