Assessment of Breathlessness in Palliative Care

About this activity

This session gives a framework of how to assess breathlessness as an essential first step to appropriate management in the patient approaching the end of life. This session was reviewed by Tim Peel and Christina Faull and last updated in November 2015. Objectives By the end of this session you will be able to: • Give a working definition of breathlessness, encompassing the physical experience and other factors • Recognise the different types of pathophysiology (aetiology) that underlie breathlessness • Outline the core steps involved in an assessment of breathlessness, to reach a diagnosis and initiate a management plan - listing the key elements of a breathlessness history and examination • Recognise the range of investigations that can be used to aid diagnosis and treatment of breathlessness, if appropriate for the patient