A Note

 The last major effort of the Dyspnea Lab was to take what we had learned to the clinical setting.  Working with the Department of Nursing at our hospital, we instituted universal documentation of dyspnea throughout the hospital.  We found that dyspnea is common in hospitalized patients, although not as common as pain. We also found that nurses supported the addition of dyspnea ratings, and found they did not slow work flow. (Baker et al 2013, Baker et al 2017, Baker et al 2020, Stevens et al 2016, Stevens et al 2018, Stevens et al 2024 in press

We examined the relationship of patient-reported dyspnea to adverse outcomes.  We found that the presence of dyspnea was significantly associated with a 3 to 6 fold increase of in-hospital mortality.  Dyspnea  also predicted greater mortality in the following 2 years, as well as other in-hospital adverse events.  Stevens et al 2016, Stevens et al 2021, Stevens et al 2024 in press

We used our Multidimensional Dyspnea Profile to provide a more complete characterization of dyspnea in hospitalized patients and out-patients with COPD.  We found that air hunger was the most prominent sensation, especially when dyspnea was more severe.  Anxiety, frustration, and fear were the prominent emotions associated with dyspnea.  We also record patients' comments about their experience.  O'Donnell et al 2013, Stevens et al 2019, Banzett et al 2020

We used our laboratory model of air hunger to test the efficacy of two pharmacologic interventions to reduce dyspnea.  Our tests showed a strong effect of a relatively small dose of  iv morphine.  Results with aerosol furosemide were less clear - it appears that aerosol furosemide  treatment works well on some subjects and not at all on others Banzett et al 2011,. O'Donnell et al 2017,  Soffler et al 2017, Banzett et al 2018, Morelot-Panzini et al 2018, Hallowell et al 2020