MRC dyspnoea scale
Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale
| Grade | Degree of breathlessness related to activities |
| 1 | Not troubled by breathlessness except on strenuous exercise |
| 2 | Short of breath when hurrying or walking up a slight hill |
| 3 | Walks slower than contemporaries on level ground because of breathlessness, or has to stop for breath when walking at own pace |
| 4 | Stops for breath after walking about 100m or after a few minutes on level ground |
| 5 | Too breathless to leave the house, or breathless when dressing or undressing |
Adapted from Fletcher CM, Elmes PC, Fairbairn MB et al. (1959) The significance of respiratory symptoms and the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis in a working population. British Medical Journal 2:257-66.
This page was last updated: 13 December 2007
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- Specifying a pulmonary rehabilitation service for patients with COPD
- Determining local service levels for a pulmonary rehabilitation service for patients with COPD
- Assumptions used in estimating a population benchmark
- The commissioning and benchmarking tool
- Ensuring corporate and quality assurance
