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Definition

Dyspnea is shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. The victim is usually quite aware of the unusual breathing pattern.

SDS Relevance

Shortness of breath can be an indicator of many physical ailments including simple exertion, a panic attack, a blow to the chest, asthma, cardiac disease, emphysema, as well as exposure to toxic chemicals. The wide variety of possible causes highlights why one should always read the Safety Data Sheet for a material before working with it. That way, you can be on guard for known symptoms of exposure.

Section 11 (toxicological information) of the SDS will mention if dyspnea is a known symptom or hazard. The term may also appear in Section 4 (first-aid measures).

If a person is suffering from shortness of breath, evaluate them for additional symptoms and possible exposures. Keep the victim in a sitting position. Remove the victim to fresh air if possible and seek medical attention.

Further Reading

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• Diagnostic Evaluation of Dyspnea at the American Academy of Family Physicians. Comprehensive and includes a handy table of clues to conditions that cause dyspnea.
• Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath) at WebMD.com.
• Dyspnea at Merck Manual's Professional Version.
• Dyspnea symptom management at the Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.
• Rescue squad guidelines for responding to cases of dyspnea.
• Dyspnea Causes at Family Practice Notebook.

See also: asthma, bronchitis, emphysema.

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.

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