Platypnea
Platypnea or platypnoea is shortness of breath (dyspnea) that is relieved when lying down, and worsens when sitting or standing upright. It is the opposite of orthopnea.[1] The condition was first described in 1949 and named in 1969.[2]
A related condition, orthodeoxia, describes the clinical finding of low oxygen saturation in the upright position, which improves when lying down.[3]
Platypnea and orthodeoxia (low oxygen levels when in upright posture) can co-exist, and this combination is named platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome.[4][5] The syndrome is considered extremely rare however.[4]
Causes
Platypnea is usually due to either
portal circulation reaches the inferior vena cava without passing through the liver sufficiently (Abernethy malformation, type 1).[citation needed
]
Etymology and pronunciation
The word platypnea uses
combining forms of platy- + -pnea, from Greek platus (= flat) and pnoia (=breath). See pronunciation information at dyspnea.
See also
References
- ISBN 978-0-8089-2418-0.
- PMID 9404736.
- ISBN 978-0-8089-2418-0.
- ^ PMID 11839642.
- PMID 10648502.