Word parts
What it means
Losing carbon dioxide makes the blood less acidic (respiratory alkalosis). The person may feel dizzy, light-headed and short of breath and have tingling around the mouth and in the hands. It is common with anxiety, pain and panic, and also occurs with fever, lung problems and metabolic acidosis.
For the nurse
Stay with the client, speak calmly and coach slow breathing through pursed lips. Look for a physical cause, such as low oxygen, before deciding it is anxiety.
Remember it
Hyper breathing blows off acid; hypo breathing keeps it in.
At a glance
| Spanish | hiperventilación |
|---|---|
| Also written | hyperventilating, hyperventilate |
Easy to confuse with
hypoventilation
Breathing that is too slow or too shallow to remove enough carbon dioxide from the body.
Related terms
arterial blood gas
A blood test from an artery that measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, bicarbonate and the blood's pH.
hyper-
A word beginning that means above, over or more than normal.
panic attack
A sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes.
hypoventilation
Breathing that is too slow or too shallow to remove enough carbon dioxide from the body.