If a patient starts experiencing shortness of breath after being admitted to the hospital, it is a serious danger signal. A study by Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, published in the journal ERJ Open Research, showed that shortness of breath increases the risk of death sixfold, while pain does not affect the likelihood of a fatal outcome.
The study involved nearly 10,000 hospitalized adults. Nurses asked patients twice a day to rate the severity of their shortness of breath on a scale from 0 to 10, similar to how pain is typically assessed. Data analysis over two years revealed that the higher the level of shortness of breath, the greater the risk of death, transfer to the ICU, or the need for emergency intervention. Among patients discharged with persistent shortness of breath, a quarter died within six months, compared to only 7 percent of those without.
Scientists explain that shortness of breath is an early physiological signal that the body lacks oxygen and is struggling to expel carbon dioxide. They believe that this symptom deserves as much attention as pulse, blood pressure, and temperature.
The authors suggest incorporating shortness of breath assessment into the standard set of vital signs: a brief survey takes less than a minute but can save lives by helping to promptly recognize a patient’s deteriorating condition.
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