Dyspnea as the reason for encounter in general practice
Thomas Frese1, Caroline Sobeck, Kristin Herrmann
1Department of Primary Care, Leipzig Medical School, Leipzig, Germany.
Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
|March 3, 2012
Summary
Dyspnea is a common primary care concern, frequently diagnosed as acute bronchitis or exacerbated chronic diseases. Most patients receive physical exams and prescriptions, with rare emergency cases presenting.
Area of Science:
- General Practice and Primary Care Research
- Epidemiology of Respiratory Symptoms
- Clinical Management of Dyspnea
Background:
- Dyspnea is a frequent reason for physician consultations, yet primary care data on its epidemiology and causes are limited.
- Understanding dyspnea in primary care is crucial for effective patient management and resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of dyspnea consultations in primary care.
- To analyze diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, accompanying symptoms, and diagnoses for patients presenting with dyspnea.
- To explore the epidemiology of dyspnea in a general practice setting.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional data collected from the SESAM 2 study (n=93) and the Dutch Transition Project (n=7,855).
- Analysis of patient demographics, presenting symptoms, diagnostic tests (ECG, spirometry, lab tests), and treatments.
- Retrospective review of unpublished, publicly available data.
Main Results:
- Dyspnea prevalence was 1% (SESAM 2) and 3.9% (Transition Project).
- Acute bronchitis was the most common diagnosis; respiratory infections and chronic disease exacerbations predominated.
- Dyspnea was associated with cough, dysphagia, thoracic pain, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Conclusions:
- Dyspnea is a common primary care complaint, with most cases involving non-emergency respiratory issues.
- Respiratory tract infections and exacerbations of known chronic conditions are the primary drivers of dyspnea in general practice.
- While physical examinations and prescriptions are common, serious cardiac events are rare in this setting.
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