In a healthy person, extremely strenuous exercise, high temperatures, obesity and greater altitude may all cause shortness of breath.
Shortness of breath is probably a symptom of a medical condition outside of these examples.
In the case of shortness of breath (called chronic) that has lasted for weeks or longer, the condition is most likely attributable to:
- Asthma
- Exacerbation of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): worsening of symptoms
- Deconditioning
- Dysfunction in the heart
- Pulmonary interstitial disorder
- Obesity
- Pleural effusion in patients (accumulation of fluid around the lungs)