People in hospital facing six-fold chance of death due to one symptom

A new study found being short of breath in hospital can increase a patient's risk of death (Image: GETTY)

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that patients who reported breathing discomfort when being admitted to or staying in hospital faced a higher risk of death and other adverse outcomes. The greater their breathing difficulties were, the higher risk they faced, making them up to six times more likely to die than patients who weren’t short of breath.

This symptom is officially known as dyspnoea. Up to one in 10 patients being admitted to hospital report this issue. It can also be described as shortness of breath, breathing discomfort or distressed breathing.

Hospitalised patients experiencing this symptom were also more likely to:

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