Shortness of Breath That Appears Suddenly

If you’ve ever felt you couldn’t breathe in enough air, you’ve experienced a condition known medically as dyspnea. Shortness of breath can be a symptom of health problems, often related to heart or lung disease

Dyspnea is one of several symptoms of heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation can help you manage heart failure and other heart-related conditions. In serious cases of heart failure, an artificial pump may be needed to take over the blood pumping duties of a weakened heart.
Pulmonary rehabilitation may also be helpful in treating dyspnea. This is a program of supervised exercise and education about breathing techniques to help you overcome lung disease.

If shortness of breath is accompanied by coughing, it may be a sign of pneumonia.
Chills, fever, and coughing that produces phlegm are also symptoms of pneumonia. Don’t hesitate to see a doctor. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It can be very serious, especially in older adults, and can lead to hospitalization and even death if not treated properly