MRC Dyspnoea Scale
Breathlessness grade (1–5) — disability, not lung function.
What it is for
COPD assessment & pulmonary rehab referral (grade ≥ 3). Tracks functional impact.
Use the working calculator
The working MRC Dyspnoea Scale calculator is on our calculators page. It is free and needs no account. Enter the values and it shows the result with the reading that goes with it.
The calculators are free. The trial opens the protocols and pathways they link to.What you enter
The calculator asks for one item.
- Breathlessness gradeOptions: 1 — Only on strenuous exercise; 2 — Short of breath hurrying / slight hill; 3 — Walks slower than peers / stops for breath on the flat; 4 — Stops for breath after ~100 m / few minutes on the flat; 5 — Too breathless to leave the house / on dressing
How the result is read
The result is shown as MRC grade, out of a maximum of 5.
The calculator reads each total as follows. Where a single answer changes the reading (for example sex, age or one extreme value), the working calculator says so.
| Total | Band | What the calculator says |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Mild functional limitation | Optimise inhalers; encourage activity. Grade 1–2. |
| 3 | Moderate | Refer pulmonary rehabilitation (MRC ≥ 3). NICE NG115: offer pulmonary rehab to functionally limited COPD. |
| 4 to 5 | Severe | Pulmonary rehab + review for LTOT assessment / specialist input. Grade 4–5 — significant disability. |
Sources
These are the sources the calculator cites. Check the current version before relying on a threshold.
Related
For qualified clinicians. A score supports a clinical decision and does not make it: check the inputs, read the cited source, and use the tools in your clinical system for patient care where one is provided.