Hyperventilation syndrome pathophysiology

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Pathophysiology

HVS can be part of a panic attack but, despite all the stigma, most patients are not putting on a show but are in true distress.

People with HVS feel like they can't get enough air, but the opposite is actually true: they have too much oxygen and too little carbon dioxide in their blood. The hyperventilation is self-promulgating as rapid breathing causes carbon dioxide levels to fall, and respiratory alkalosis (high blood pH) develops. This makes the symptoms worse, which causes the patient to try breathing even faster, which further exacerbates the problem.