
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Hyperventilation syndrome medical therapy
Introduction
Medical Therapy
Medical Therapy
Non-Pharmacotherapy
A rapid traditional intervention is to have the patient breathe into a paper bag, causing rebreathing and restoration of CO2 levels. Some physicians do not advise the paper bag rebreathing method due to the possibility of inhaling too much carbon dioxide. One other potential side effect of this treatment is that, it may cause significant hypoxemia and consequent complications.[1] The same benefits can be obtained from deliberately slowing down the breathing rate by counting or looking at a the second hand on a watch. This is often referred to as “7-11 breathing”, because a gentle inhalation is stretched out to take 7 seconds (or counts), and the exhalation is slowed to take 11 seconds.
References
References
- ↑ Callaham M (1989). “Hypoxic hazards of traditional paper bag rebreathing in hyperventilating patients”. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 18 (6): 622–8. PMID 2499228. Unknown parameter
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
