Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention for the Management of Episodic Breathlessness in Patients With Advanced Disease

The cognitive and behavioral brief intervention comprises two parts: In a first module, the intervention and the study team is introduced, the definition of episodic breathlessness is given and the individual characteristics of breathlessness episodes are recorded. Goals of the intervention are discussed. In a subsequent module on patient education and the strategies, the patient and intervention executor discuss the patients' assumptions about episodic breathlessness including triggers and already used management strategies for breathlessness episodes. This follows the presentation of the non-pharmacological strategies: movement of air/ handheld fan, forward lean, diaphragmatic breathing, distraction, pursed lips breathing, long breaths out and relaxation training. The patient selects 2-3 strategies and trains them with the intervention executor.