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What Causes Pressure In The Thoracic Cavity While Lying Down Flat?

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Posted on Wed, 11 Jan 2017
Question: Is the pressure in the thoracic cavity higher or lower when lying flat?

Why can some people have increased shortness of breath when carrying things, bending or raising arms over head? Does it have to do with pressure in the chest?

Would a decreased residual volume on PFTs explain why someone would have to put extra effort into inspiration?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Pressure in thoracic cavity is lower while lying flat.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
Pressure in thoracic cavity is lower while lying flat.
Breathlessness on activities (as you mentioned) is commonly seen with heart and lung diseases.
Pressure in thoracic cavity plays very little role in it.
No, decreased residual volume alone with all other normal PFT parameters can not explain why someone needs extra efforts in inspiration.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (15 hours later)
What things effect pulmonary artery pressure?

For instance if someone has pulmonary hypertension..does lifting and bending increase it?

And what things reduce it?

And why would shortness of breath increase with eating?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (11 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Low salt diet, weight reduction and drugs reduce pulmonary artery pressure.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Pulmonary artery pressure is considered as pressure of Pulmonary system.
In normal individuals, pulmonary artery pressure remains stable at around 10-12 mmhg irrespective of status of individual (standing, banding, running).
Pulmonary artery pressure rises with heart and lung diseases. So if person with heart and lung diseases does weight lifting or exertion then Pulmonary artery pressure rises and cause breathlessness.
In Patients with heart and lung diseases, low salt diet, weight reduction and drugs (sildenafil, tadalafil, bosentan etc) can reduce Pulmonary artery pressure.
Do you have Pulmonary hypertension?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (7 hours later)
No I do not. My echo was normal. But my doctors kept saying that all my symptoms sound like it so I was just curious about the condition and what things could be similar to it
doctor
Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (13 hours later)
Brief Answer:
2d echo is not 100% confirmatory.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
2d echo is just a screening test for pulmonary hypertension. It is not confirmatory test.
Confirmatory test is right heart catheterization.
But I don't think, your doctors are going to do this.
Have you talked about this with your doctor?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Drkaushal85

Pulmonologist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 15003 Questions

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What Causes Pressure In The Thoracic Cavity While Lying Down Flat?

Brief Answer: Pressure in thoracic cavity is lower while lying flat. Detailed Answer: Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic. Pressure in thoracic cavity is lower while lying flat. Breathlessness on activities (as you mentioned) is commonly seen with heart and lung diseases. Pressure in thoracic cavity plays very little role in it. No, decreased residual volume alone with all other normal PFT parameters can not explain why someone needs extra efforts in inspiration. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.