Diseases

Difficult or labored breathing; shortness of breath.

Persons most commonly affected: All age groups and bothe sexes.
Organ or part of body involved: Airways, lungs and Heart.

Symptoms and indications: Noisy breathing; an anxious, distressed expression; dilated nostrils; gasping; a protuding abdomen; an expanded chest; and blue lips and fingertips.
Causes and risk factors: Inadequate delivery of oxygen to the tissue, as in severe anaemia; by failure of the heart to keep up the needs of the body, as in congestive heart failure; by overexertion; by obstruction of the airways; by narrowing of air passages, such as occurs in asthma; or by restricting of lung capacity, which may be caused by a chest deformity.