•  
  •  

Causes of Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation symptoms can be similar to symptoms that are caused by another problem. Hyperventilation can also be directly caused by:

  • A medical condition or disease. Examples include:
  • A rapid increase in altitude.
  • Exercise.
  • Fever.
  • Ingestion or overdose of drugs, including amphetamine, aspirin, asthma medicines, cocaine, iron, LSD, or methamphetamine.
  • Nervous system problems, such as head injuries, encephalitis, meningitis, or stroke.
  • Physical problems that cause pressure on or within the chest, such as:
    • Chest wall injury.
    • Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
    • Pregnancy.
    • Severe abdominal fluid retention (ascites).
  • Situations where there is a psychological advantage for a person to have a sudden, dramatic illness.
By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer David Messenger, MD
Last Revised September 3, 2010

Last Revised: September 3, 2010

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & David Messenger, MD

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

To learn more visit Healthwise.org

© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.