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Hyperventilation syndrome epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1], Farman Khan, MD, MRCP [2]

Epidemiology and Demographics

Epidemiology and Demographics

About 10% of patients in a general internal medicine practice have been reported to have HVS as their primary diagnosis.

Age

The peak incidence is between the ages of 15 and 55 years, but cases have been reported in all age groups except infants.

Gender

Limited data suggest that hyperventilation syndrome is found more commonly in women than in men. Some studies have reported that the female-to-male ratio may be as high as 7:1.

Prevalence

The prevalence of HVS is difficult to assess accurately because of varying diagnostic criteria and its association with psychological symptoms. There is significant overlap between panic disorder, panic attacks and hyperventilation syndrome. The prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome ranges from 25 to 83 percent in patients with an anxiety disorder. HVS has been reported in up to 11 percent of the patients with non psychiatric medical comorbidities.[1] Similarly hyperventilation syndrome has been reported in 36% asthmatic patients.[2]

References

References

  1. Spinhoven P, Onstein EJ, Sterk PJ, Le Haen-Versteijnen D (1993). “Hyperventilation and panic attacks in general hospital patients”. General Hospital Psychiatry. 15 (3): 148–54. PMID 8325495. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  2. Martínez-Moragón E, Perpiñá M, Belloch A, de Diego A (2005). “[Prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in patients treated for asthma in a pulmonology clinic]”. Archivos De Bronconeumología (in Spanish; Castilian). 41 (5): 267–71. PMID 15919008. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)

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