Shortness of breath after chemotherapy

Shortness of breath after chemotherapy is difficulty breathing, which is felt as tightness in the chest, insufficient amount of air. At the same time, there is a change in such parameters of breathing as frequency and depth, the activity of the respiratory muscles increases.

Dyspnea can be physiological or pathological. Physiological dyspnea is observed with increased physical activity, when the breathing rhythm is disrupted, but there are no unpleasant sensations. Pathological dyspnea is accompanied not only by a change in the breathing rhythm, but also by the appearance of unpleasant sensations.

A person's reaction to shortness of breath depends on their individual sensitivity to their body. For some people, the slightest symptoms of shortness of breath cause panic, while others do not notice increased breathing at all. It should be noted that patients after chemotherapy are in a weakened state, and perceive and feel the changes that occur to them much more intensely.

The mechanism of occurrence is not fully understood, but it is known that shortness of breath after chemotherapy appears as a result of processes of strong excitation in the respiratory center, which increases the work of the respiratory muscles. After chemotherapy, there is a decrease in the elasticity of the lung tissue, which requires greater intensity of functioning from the respiratory muscles. If the efforts of the respiratory muscles exceed a certain limit, then shortness of breath occurs. In some cases, shortness of breath can be a consequence of toxic damage to the respiratory zone of the brain.

Shortness of breath after chemotherapy may indicate the occurrence of various diseases that are provoked by chemotherapy. These include:

• anemia,
• pulmonary artery thrombosis - shortness of breath only at rest,
• airway obstruction - shortness of breath only when lying down,
• in case of heart disease – shortness of breath only when lying on the side,
• with existing weakness of the abdominal wall muscles - shortness of breath only when standing.

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Cough after chemotherapy

Cough after chemotherapy occurs due to several reasons:

1. First of all, the drugs dry out the mucous membranes of all organs, including the respiratory system. Drying out the mucous membranes causes irritation of the respiratory tract, which manifests itself in a dry and sometimes frequent cough.
2. Otherwise, coughing after treatment is a consequence of decreased immunity. Infections easily penetrate the body, which cause respiratory diseases of the respiratory system. The appearance of a cough indicates that the patient is simply sick and needs to undergo a course of antibacterial therapy.

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Pneumonia after chemotherapy

After chemotherapy, there is a sharp reduction in the number of leukocytes in the blood, and accordingly a decrease in the level of immunity. At this time, patients are most susceptible to infectious diseases of various origins. Infections, getting into the respiratory tract, can cause respiratory diseases, as well as diseases of the bronchi and lungs.

Suppression of the immune system often causes inflammatory processes in the lungs, such as pneumonia. This disease can be caused by a number of reasons: infection in the respiratory tract, pulmonary failure after chemotherapy due to toxic damage to the cells of the lungs and bronchi, and so on. In this case, pneumonia occurs in an acute form - there is a strong increase in overall body temperature, fever, acute chest pain, cough with sputum, severe sweating, weakness, increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate, cyanosis of the lips and nail plates.

It should be taken into account that pneumonia that has already developed causes a high percentage of fatal outcomes in patients. Therefore, it is necessary to apply preventive measures, which consist of using antibacterial therapy immediately after the end of chemotherapy. At the same time, blood transfusion is also possible to increase the level of leukocytes and the protective functions of the body.

Shortness of breath after chemotherapy indicates that there is some pulmonary (respiratory) failure. At the same time, the level of carbon dioxide in the blood increases, and there is a sufficient amount of under-oxidized metabolic products in the body tissues. At the same time, the intensity of the respiratory system increases, as well as the load on the heart muscle. Therefore, respiratory failure is soon joined by cardiac failure, which provokes dystrophic changes in the myocardium.

All of the above indicates that if shortness of breath occurs after chemotherapy, it is necessary to undergo an examination to prescribe appropriate corrective therapy.