Steps in evaluating the patient:
(1) identifying pre-existing conditions
(2) identifying hypoxemia
(3) determining if the cause is pulmonary, cardiovascular or other
Cardiovascular causes of dyspnea include:
(1) pre-eclampsia
(2) iatrogenic fluid overload
(3) edema secondary to tocolysis
(4) myocardial infarction
(5) pre-existing cardic disorder
(6) peripartum cardiomyopathy
(7) septic cardiomyopathy
(8) pericardial effusion or pericarditis
(9) toxic cardiomyopathy
(10) thyrotoxicosis
(11) aortic dissection
(12) mitral valve chordal rupture
(13) other causes of cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo, etc)
Pulmonary causes of dyspnea include:
(1) pulmonary embolism
(2) pneumonia
(3) aspiration
(4) asthma or reactive airway disease
(5) acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
(6) other causes of embolism (amniotic fluid, air)
(7) vasculitis
(8) pulmonary hypertension
(9) pneumothorax
Other causes of dyspnea:
(1) drug reaction
(2) transfusion reaction
(3) anxiety
(4) disorder of the airway
