Gomez WED 8/17/25 Abnormal Breathing Patterns: Complete Guide

This set of flashcards covers various abnormal breathing patterns, their descriptions, associated medical conditions, and clinical significance, useful for studying respiratory physiology and pathology.

Eupnea

Normal breathing; regular rate, depth, and rhythm (12-20 breaths/min) in healthy individuals, serving as a baseline for comparison.

Tachypnea

Rapid, shallow breathing often associated with fever, anxiety, pneumonia, heart failure, respiratory distress, or asthma, and is often an early sign of hypoxia.

Bradypnea

Abnormally slow breathing (<12/min) associated with drug overdose (e.g., opioids), brain injury, or hypothyroidism, and can lead to hypoventilation and CO2 retention.

Hyperpnea

Increased depth and rate of breathing, seen during exercise, DKA (as a compensatory mechanism), or anxiety; not always abnormal depending on the cause.

Hypopnea

Shallow, slow breathing, associated with neuromuscular disease, sedation, or obesity, leading to hypoventilation and possible hypoxemia.

Apnea

Cessation of breathing for more than 10 seconds, associated with sleep apnea, head injury, opioid overdose, or cardiac arrest; an immediate emergency if prolonged.

Cheyne-Stokes breathing

Cyclic breathing characterized by increasing, then decreasing depth, followed by apnea; a sign of poor neurologic or cardiac function, associated with stroke, CHF, brain injury, or end-of-life.

Biot's (Ataxic) breathing

Irregular rate and depth with sudden apnea, indicating severe brainstem dysfunction, associated with brainstem injury, CNS trauma, or opioid overdose.

Kussmaul's breathing

Deep, rapid, labored breathing ("air hunger"), a compensatory response to acid buildup, typically seen in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) or metabolic acidosis.

Agonal breathing

Gasping, irregular, ineffective breaths, typically pre-terminal and requiring immediate resuscitation, associated with cardiac arrest or severe hypoxia.

Orthopnea

Difficulty breathing while lying flat, indicating fluid overload or pulmonary congestion, associated with CHF or COPD.

Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND)

Sudden nighttime shortness of breath, a sign of left-sided heart failure, also associated with pulmonary edema.

Apneustic breathing

Prolonged inspiratory phase followed by a pause and short exhale, indicating serious brain dysfunction, specifically associated with brainstem injury (pons).

Sighing respirations

Regular breathing with periodic deep breaths, associated with anxiety or early fatigue, and may lead to hyperventilation or be psychogenic.

Air trapping

Difficulty exhaling completely, leading to hyperinflation and a barrel chest over time, often seen in COPD or asthma, and can increase CO2 retention.

Pursed-lip breathing

Prolonged exhalation through pursed lips, a technique that improves oxygenation and reduces air trapping, commonly used by individuals with COPD or emphysema.

Apical breathing

Shallow and inefficient breathing characterized by chest rising with little abdominal movement, associated with neuromuscular disease or pregnancy.