If a person is experiencing difficulty breathing, what is this condition called?

The condition where a person experiences difficulty breathing is referred to as dyspnea. Dyspnea can manifest as shortness of breath or an increased effort to breathe, and it is often an indicator of an underlying medical issue, such as respiratory or cardiovascular problems. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including asthma, heart failure, or anxiety, and it may vary from mild to severe.

In contrast, apnea is the cessation of breathing for a period of time, myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder that can lead to weakness in the skeletal muscles, and contracture refers to the permanent tightening of muscles, tendons, and fascia, which can restrict movement. While these conditions may be related to breathing difficulties in certain contexts, they are distinct from dyspnea, which specifically describes the sensation of struggling to breathe.