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Palliative cancer care - dyspnoea - Management
What should I look for on examination?
- Perform an appropriate examination for the stage of the person's illness, to attempt to determine the cause of the dyspnoea. This should include:
- A general examination.
- Examination of the person's respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
- Assessment of the effectiveness of the person's breathing (e.g. depth of breathing and expectoration of secretions).
- Looking for features of a panic attack or hyperventilation.
- If appropriate, observe the person walking a set distance or carrying out a set task.
In depth
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