General Medical Information

Hyperventilation

The patient is anxious and complains of shortness of breath and an inability to fill the lungs adequately. A patient may also have palpitations, chest or abdominal pain, and tingling or numbness around the mouth and fingers, or possibly even flexor spasm of the hands and feet. His respiratory volume is increased, which may be apparent by an increased respiratory rate, or only be an increased tidal volume or frequent sighing. The remainder of the physical examination is normal. The patient’s history may reveal an obvious precipitating emotional cause (such as having been caught stealing or being in the midst of a family quarrel).

What not to do

• Do not miss the true medical emergencies which also present as hyperventilation, including: pneumothorax, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, diabetic ketoacidosis, salicylate overdose, sepsis, uremia, myocardial infarction and CVA.
• Do not use a paper bag on a patient with a low oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry (<96%)