Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, can occur for many reasons. Medically, the most common causes include heart disease, lung ailments, and chronic heart failure.

Although everyone is a little short of breath from time to time, sudden and severe shortness of breath and chronic shortness of breath are causes for concern. Here are some indicators your shortness of breath could represent a medical problem:

being short of breath while resting

being short of breath whenever you exercise or participate in physical activity

shortness of breath when exposed to specific allergens or other triggers

shortness of breath accompanied by pain or pressure the chest or discomfort in the arms

Dr. Dele-Michael will perform a physical exam to look for signs or symptoms of any disease, as well as review your personal and family medical histories to look for risk factors for heart, lung, vascular or other diseases. He’ll listen to your heart and lungs and may ask you to perform a simple breathing test or have an EKG to check the condition of your heart. In some cases, he may also order lab work, diagnostic imaging or other tests or procedures to evaluate your heart and lungs.

If you’re short of breath, your treatment will depend on what’s causing your symptoms and whether it’s related to your heart or lungs or both. Patients with asthma, for instance, may need to use inhalers to open their airways. People with heart disease or heart failure may require blood pressure medication, diuretics to remove excess fluid from the body, or medications that can help stabilize the heart rate.