Hyperventilation syndromeis a nonmedical cause of shortness of breath.
It is very scary but not life-threatening.
It can be hard to tell hyperventilation syndrome apart from othercauses of shortness of breath.
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If there is any doubt about the cause of difficulty breathing, call 911 immediately.
Basically, that means there is some sort of behavioral or emotional reason for the hyperventilation.
In most cases, hyperventilation goes hand-in-hand with anxiety or panic disorders.
Many of the symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome appear during what is commonly called a panic attack.
There are other, more serious medical conditions that may lead to hyperventilation.
For the purposes of this article, the term hyperventilation syndrome refers to conditions stemming from behavioral causes.
A behavioral cause of hyperventilation can be overcome, a medical cause of rapid breathing probably cannot.
Never assume a patient is suffering from hyperventilation syndrome.
Always look for other causes of shortness of breath first.
It’s important to note that hyperventilation patients must be conscious and able to communicate.
Unconscious or unresponsive victims are likely not suffering from hyperventilation syndrome.
