Acute Medicine | Respiratory | Management of drug induced breathlessness

Management of Drug Induced Breathlessness
Session Overview
Description
This session discusses the investigation and management of patients with drug induced breathlessness, a commonly overlooked presentation with potentially long-term adverse drug effects. The session looks at how to interpret test results to confirm the diagnosis and how best to manage the patient thereafter.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Interpret blood, lung function and arterial blood gas tests in lung fibrosis
• Interpret x-ray and HRCT chest findings in lung fibrosis
• Institute management of a patient with drug induced breathlessness
• Identify key pieces of information that should be imparted when counselling a patient with drug induced breathlessness

Awareness that drugs may interfere with respiratory function and adversely affect it is essential. It is the single most important step in diagnosing the possibility that a certain medication may be inducing shortness of breath in a patient.

Effective diagnosis and efficient management of the condition depend on:

• Correctly identifying the drug
• Understanding the mechanism by which the lung is being affected
• Requesting the most important investigations

After confirming the medical management, it is important to:

• Pass the information on to the patient through effective communication
• Be prepared to answer questions from the patient and relatives