Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): This is a common condition characterized by airflow limitation, often associated with smoking or exposure to lung irritants. Shortness of breath on exertion is a hallmark symptom due to the reduced lung function.

Asthma: A chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that can cause episodic shortness of breath, especially with exertion, due to bronchospasm and inflammation.
Heart Failure: Reduced cardiac output leads to decreased oxygen delivery to tissues, resulting in shortness of breath during physical activity.
Anemia: Low hemoglobin levels reduce the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, leading to shortness of breath on exertion as the body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen.
Obesity: Excess weight can lead to increased demand on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems during exertion, resulting in shortness of breath.

Pulmonary Embolism: A potentially life-threatening condition where a blood clot blocks an artery in the lung, causing sudden onset of shortness of breath that can worsen with exertion.
Coronary Artery Disease: Reduced blood flow to the heart muscle can lead to angina or myocardial infarction, presenting with exertional shortness of breath due to decreased cardiac output.
Pneumonia: An infection of the lungs that can cause shortness of breath, which may worsen with exertion, and can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A condition characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, leading to right heart failure and symptoms including shortness of breath on exertion.
Cystic Fibrosis: A genetic disorder that results in severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs, causing chronic respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath.
Mitral Stenosis: A narrowing of the mitral valve in the heart, which can lead to shortness of breath on exertion due to the heart's inability to increase cardiac output adequately during physical activity.