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MRC dyspnoea scale

Authoring team

Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale for grading the degree of a patient's breathlessness

  • 1. I only get breathless with strenuous exercise
  • 2. I get short of breath when hurrying on level ground or walking up a slight hill
  • 3. On level ground, I walk slower than people of the same age because of breathlessness, or I have to stop for breath when walking at my own pace on the level
  • 4. I stop for breath after walking about 100 yards or after a few minutes on level ground
  • 5. I am too breathless to leave the house or I am breathless when dressing or undressing

This scale does not measure breathlessness itself, but the disability caused by breathlessness (1).

References:

  1. Williams N. The MRC breathlessness scale. Occupational Medicine, Volume 67, Issue 6, August 2017, 496–497
  2. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2021. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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