Word Origin & History. aphorism 1520s (especially in ref. to the Aphorisms of Hippocrates), from M.Fr. aphorisme, from L.L. aphorismus, from Gk. aphorismos definition, pithy sentence, from aphorizein to mark off, divide, from apo- from + horizein to bound..
Further information: List of causes of shortness of breath. While shortness of breath is generally caused by disorders of the cardiac or respiratory system, other systems such as neurological, musculoskeletal, endocrine, hematologic, and psychiatric may be the cause. DiagnosisPro, an online medical expert system, listed 497 distinct causes in October 2010.
Premature birth can cause a baby to have lung and breathing problems, including: 1  Asthma, a health condition that affects the airways and can cause breathing problems. 2  Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (also called BPD). This is a chronic lung disease that causes the lungs to grow abnormally or to be inflamed.