Breathlessness aggravating and relieving factors

 Breathlessness aggravated by exercise - exercise induced asthma

Aggravated by Pollens,dust,smoke,cold air, drugs, animals - Asthma 

Drugs- Aspirin,NSAIDs can aggravate breathlessness in asthmatics

Aggravated by lying down- orthopnea(relieved by sitting)- LV failure, large pleural effusion,massive ascites, morbid obesity and any severe lung disease.

Aggravated by sitting up- platypnea (relieved by lying down)- ASD, patent foramen ovale, large intrapulmonary shunt,hepatopulmonary syndrome 

Aggravated by lying on oneside - trepopnea

Due to large unilateral lung disease(patient prefers healthy lung down), dilated cardiomyopathy (pt prefers right side down)

Tumors compressing major airways/blood vessels 

Referrence - Macleod's 13 th edition 

Respiratory system page no-142