orthopnea
Medical term for difficulty breathing when lying flat, relieved by sitting up. Common in cardiology and respiratory contexts.
Patients with heart failure often complain of orthopnea.
If orthopnea is present, have the patient sit upright.
Standard kanji spelling for this medical term.
Variant spelling using 坐 instead of 座; both are used in medical contexts.
Compound of 起座 (kiza, 'sitting up') and 呼吸 (kokyū, 'breathing'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is a modern medical coinage.