Waking up choking can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'serious' to 'generally fatal'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose waking up choking, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Congestive Heart Failure | 93% | Confirm |
Sleep Apnea | 65% | Possible |
Do you ever wake up during the night gasping for air, or with a choking sensation?
Possible responses:
→ No / don't know→ Occasionally - less than once per month → Often - at least once per month |
Fluid may accumulate in the lungs, causing shortness of breath particularly during exercise and when lying flat. In some instances, patients are awakened at night, gasping for air.