The term "Dispnea" refers to which symptom?

• A. Difficulty breathing
• B. Absence of breathing
• C. Chest pain
• D. Dizziness

Answer: (A)

Dispnea, usually written as dyspnea, is the sensation of difficult or labored breathing. It’s a subjective symptom the person feels as shortness of breath and can indicate problems with the lungs or heart, such as COPD, asthma, pneumonia, heart failure, or fluid around the lungs. The other options describe different issues: absence of breathing is apnea, chest pain could be angina or a cardiac problem, and dizziness relates to balance or circulation issues.