Acute and Chronic Causes of Dyspnea - Differential Diagnosis
Pulmonary/Chest Wall:
 • Acute: Trauma, COPD exacerbation, Asthma attack, ILD flare, Pleural effusion, Pneumonia, Aspiration, Hemorrhage
 • Chronic: Asthma, COPD, CTEPH, ILD, Sarcoid, Tumor, Pleural effusion, Pulmonary Hypertension
Cardiovascular:
 • Acute: ACS, Acute decompensated CHF, Hypertensive emergency, Tachyarrhythmias, Valvular disease, Tamponade
 • Chronic: Anemia, Arrhythmia, Pericarditis, CAD, HFrEF/HFpEF, Intracardiac shunt, Cardiomyopathy, Valvular disease
Head/Neck:
 • Acute: Angioedema, Anaphylaxis, Infection, Foreign body
 • Chronic: Tumor, Vocal cord paralysis/dysfunction, Goiter
Abdominal:
 • Acute: Ascites, Intra-abdominal process
 • Chronic: Ascites, Pregnancy, Abdominal wall hernia, Obesity
CNS/Neuromuscular
 • Acute: Stroke, Neuromuscular disease (eg myasthenia crisis), Encephalitis
 • Chronic: ALS, Glycogen storage disease, Mitochondrial disease
Toxic/Metabolic:
 • Acute: Salicylate poisoning, Carbon monoxide poisoning, DKA, Fever, Sepsis
 • Chronic: Metabolic acidosis (eg, DM, renal failure), Thyroid disease
Psychiatric:
 • Acute: Anxiety attack, Panic attack
 • Chronic: Anxiety, PTSD, Depression

- VA Joint Chiefs @BostonChiefs

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