Hyperventilation is rapid or deep breathing that eliminates more carbon dioxide than is produced, often due to anxiety. It affects 6-15% of the population, mostly females ages 30-40. Causes include anxiety, stress, infections, asthma, and panic attacks. Signs are an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, cold hands, rapid breathing, dizziness, numbness, and tingling around the mouth. Hyperventilation can mimic life-threatening conditions like pulmonary embolisms, so it is important to understand the distinguishing symptoms.

1. Hyperventilation
Morgan Card, Brooke Fields, Leanna Payton and Mary White

2. What is Hyperventilation?
Hyperventilation is rapid or deep breathing in which a patient breathes faster and/or deeper than the
metabolic needs of the body, thus eliminating more CO2 than is being produced. This often occur
during anxiety or panic and can also be called overbreathing.
6-15% of the of the population are affected by hyperventilation. Of those people, most cases are
seen in females between the ages of 30-40. Patients most at risk for hyperventilation include: those who
have experienced acute anxiety, and adult patients between 15-40 years old who do not voice their
fears and concerns.
Causes of Hyperventilation:
• Anxiety/Nervousness or Stress
• Cardiac Disease
• Drugs (Aspirin Overdose)
• Pneumonia or sepsis infections
• Ketoacidosis (Complication of Diabetes)
• Asthma, COPD, Pulmonary Embolism
• Pregnancy
• Panic Attacks

3. Signs and Symptoms of Hyperventilation
1. Elevated BP (systolic usually greater)
2. High Pulse Rate
3. Higher Respiration Rate
4. Cold, Clammy Hands: possible blueish fingernails
5. Abnormally prolonged rapid and deep respirations: this leads to high blood pH and low CO2.
Decreased CO2 causes vasoconstriction of the arteries and veins throughout the body, most
importantly the heart and the brain.
6. Dry Mouth
7. Heart Palpitations: due to vasoconstriction on the heart’s blood vessels and arteries
8. Chest Pain: associated with vasoconstriction
9. Tachycardia
10. Globus Hystericus and Epigastric Pain: lump in the throat feeling; bloating, belching
11. Impairment of problem-solving abilities (confusion), motor control, balance, perceptual
tasks and vision
12. Lightheadedness and Dizziness
13. Seizures
14. Tetany and Trembling
15. Numbness in extremities
16. Chvostek’s sign: abnormal spasm of the face cause by light taps on the facial nerve
17. Diaphoresis: extreme sweating
18. Circumoral Parasthesia: numbness or tingling around the mouth
19. Unconsciousness

4. Please Note:
It is important to understand that hyperventilation can mimic many respiratory
disorders and conditions such as pulmonary embolism!
Pulmonary Embolism: a blockage of the pulmonary artery by fat, air, a tumor, or
thrombus. An embolism will lead to reduced arterial carbon dioxide levels and appear
as hyperventilation. Pulmonary embolisms are life threatening! Two-thirds of patient
who experience a pulmonary embolism die within 2 hours of onset.
******** Remember**********
Patients who are experiencing a pulmonary embolism will NOT experience:
Spasms of the hands and ankles
Tingling around mouth or in fingers