Shortness of breath In-depth

In-depth

Heart palpitations are skipped, fluttering or racing heartbeats that aren't usually a symptom of a serious heart problem. Discover the causes and symptoms of this condition.

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS)

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Panic attacks and panic disorder

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma

Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)

Stage 4 (metastatic) colon cancer

Transposition of the great arteries

Ventricular septal defect (VSD)

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

Aug. 05, 2025

AskMayoExpert. Dyspnea (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2023.
Ferri FF. Differential diagnosis: Dyspnea. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2025. Elsevier; 2025. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 20, 2025.
Walls RM, et al., eds. Dyspnea. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 20, 2025.
Dyspnea. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pulmonary-disorders/symptoms-of-pulmonary-disorders/dyspnea. Accessed March 20, 2025.
Budhwar N, et al. Chronic dyspnea: Diagnosis and evaluation. American Family Physician. 2020;101:542.
Schwartzstein RM. Approach to the patient with dyspnea. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed March 20, 2025.
Altitude illness. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries-poisoning/altitude-illness/altitude-illness. Accessed March 21, 2025.
Dominelli PB, et al. The pulmonary physiology of exercise. Advances in Physiology Education. 2024; doi:10.1152/advan.00067.2023.
Ferri FF. Croup (laryngotracheitis). In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2025. Elsevier; 2025. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 21, 2025.
Your guide to anemia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/your-guide-anemia. Accessed March 22, 2025.
Medication management. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/medication-information. Accessed March 22, 2025.
Huh J-W, et al. The impact of air pollutants and meteorological factors in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. 2022; doi:10.1513/AnnalsATS.202103-298OC.
Wheezing, shortness of breath. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology https://acaai.org/allergies/symptoms/wheezing-shortness-of-breath/. Accessed May 30, 2025.
Stress effects on the body. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body. Accessed May 15, 2025.
What's the difference between stress and anxiety? American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/anxiety-difference. Accessed May 15, 2025.
Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. May 16, 2025.