WOB stands for Work Of Breathing.
What does WOB mean?
WOB stands for Work Of Breathing, meaning the effort a person uses to breathe. Increased WOB suggests breathing is harder than normal.
WOB stands for Work Of Breathing. It refers to the amount of effort a person has to use to breathe. In a healthy person at rest, breathing is easy and takes little effort, which would be recorded as normal WOB. When breathing becomes harder, this is described as increased WOB.
Signs of increased work of breathing include fast breathing, using extra muscles in the neck and chest, and looking distressed. Increased WOB is an important sign that the lungs or airways may be struggling, for example in asthma, infection, or heart failure. Clinicians watch WOB closely because it can show how well or how poorly a patient is breathing.
WOB is commonly recorded in the respiratory part of an assessment, alongside findings such as breathing rate and oxygen levels.
When is WOB used?
Used in respiratory assessment to describe the effort of breathing; increased WOB signals breathing difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
What does WOB mean?
WOB means Work Of Breathing, the effort used to breathe.
What does WOB stand for?
It stands for Work Of Breathing.
What does increased WOB mean?
It means breathing is taking more effort than normal, a sign of possible difficulty.
What are signs of increased WOB?
Fast breathing, using extra neck and chest muscles, and looking distressed.
Why is WOB important?
It shows how well or poorly a patient is breathing.