Hyperventilation
Caused by...
- Anxiety
- Stimulants
- Excessive intake of aspirin
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Pulmonary embolism
- Infection such as pneumonia or sepsis
- Congestive heart failure
- Heart attack
- Pain
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
Biochemistry:
Hyperventilation has little effect on partial pressure of arterial oxygen
(pO2), and almost no effect on oxygen saturation. It's main effect is
to lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2), and produce
respiratory alkalosis. A secondary hypocalcaemia also occurs.
Symptoms...
- Shortness of breath when an attack occurs
- Wheezing
- Pain/discomfort in the chest
- Feeling of choking or suffocation
- Palpitations
- Tingling around the mouth
- Tingling in the fingers (sometimes toes)
- Muscle spasms in the hands and feet
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Tinnitus
- Sweating
- Loss of consciousness
- Trousseau's sign
- Chvostek's sign
Note:
The process of breathing in and out of a paper bag, in order to increase the
level of carbon dioxide in the blood, is no longer recommended, because the
carbon dioxide level can rise too high.