Orthopnea

Orthopnea
Other namesOrthopnoea
Pronunciation
SpecialtyCardiology

Orthopnea or orthopnoea[1] is shortness of breath (dyspnea) that occurs when lying flat,[2] causing the person to have to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair. It is commonly seen as a late manifestation of heart failure, resulting from fluid redistribution into the central circulation, causing an increase in pulmonary capillary pressure and causing difficulty in breathing. It is also seen in cases of abdominal obesity or pulmonary disease.[3] Orthopnea is the opposite of platypnea, shortness of breath that worsens when sitting or standing upright.

  1. ^ a b "Orthopnoea | Definition of Orthopnoea by Lexico". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  2. ^ "orthopnea" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  3. ^ Anthony Fauci, Eugene Braunwald, Dennis Kasper, Stephen Hauser, Dan Longo, J. Jameson, Joseph Loscalzo, (2008). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780071466332. p.1446