What is a common symptom of orthopnea?

Orthopnea is characterized by shortness of breath that occurs when lying flat. This symptom is commonly associated with conditions such as heart failure, where the horizontal position can increase venous return to the heart, resulting in pulmonary congestion and difficulty breathing. It typically improves when the individual sits or stands, allowing gravity to reduce blood flow to the chest.

In this context, while the other symptoms listed may be indicative of other respiratory or cardiovascular issues, they do not specifically correlate with the typical experience of orthopnea. For example, difficulty breathing while walking and wheezing during exertion may relate to conditions affecting oxygenation during physical activity rather than positional breathing problems. Chest pain when taking deep breaths could indicate pleuritic conditions or other cardiac concerns, but it does not specifically define the positional characteristic of orthopnea. Therefore, identifying shortness of breath when lying down as a hallmark symptom of orthopnea accurately reflects the condition's clinical presentation.