Hyperventilation clinical practice.

Abstract

There is uncertainty about the diagnosis and definition of the hyperventilation syndrome. We prefer to regard hyperventilation (or hypocapnia with which it is synonymous) as a physiological response to abnormally increased respiratory "drive", which can be caused by a wide range of organic, psychiatric and physiological disorders, or a combination of these. This review outlines a clinical scheme for the diagnosis and assessment of hyperventilation and its causes.