Breathing difficulties can make eating and drinking more difficult putting patients at increased risk of nutritional problems and malnutrition.
Respiratory symptoms include:
- Coughing
- Breathlessness
- Gas trapping and early satiety
- Dry mouth due to breathing through the mouth
What does it have to do with the patient’s nutrition and diet?
What patients eat (texture, quantity, spices, etc.) may aggravate breathing difficulties.
Gulping air can happen whilst eating, which may bring more difficulties for accepting certain types of healthy foods (e.g. high in fibre).
These side effects can make people feel anxious about eating in front of others which may create relational difficulties in the home environment.