Word parts
What it means
Fast breathing. In an adult it means more than 20 breaths a minute; normal rates are higher in babies and children, so the limit depends on age. The body breathes faster when it needs more oxygen or must get rid of carbon dioxide or acid, as with fever, pain, anxiety, lung disease, sepsisSEP-sisA severe whole-body response to an infection that damages the body's own organs.Full entry or pulmonary embolismPUL-muh-nair-ee EM-buh-liz-umA blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has traveled there from elsewhere in the body.pulmon/o lung-ary relating toembol/o plug-ism conditionFull entry . Breaths are often shallow as well as fast.
For the nurse
Count the rate for a full minute and look at depth, effort and oxygen saturation. A rising breathing rate is often one of the earliest signs that a client is getting worse, so a new or rising rate is reported.
In a chart
"RR 28 and shallow, SpO2 91% on room air; rapid response called."
Remember it
Tachy is fast, like a tachometer that counts engine speed.
At a glance
| Spanish | taquipnea |
|---|---|
| Also written | tachypnoea, tachypneic |
Easy to confuse with
bradypnea
Breathing that is slower than normal for the person's age.
Related terms
-pnea
A word ending that means breathing.
dyspnea
Difficult or labored breathing, or the feeling of not getting enough air.
respiratory rate
The number of breaths a person takes in one minute.