Tachypnoe
An adequate supply of oxygen is essential for the human body. However, it is not uncommon for tachypnea to be responsible for an increased need for oxygen.
What is tachypnea?
In modern medicine, tachypnea is usually referred to as an increased respiratory rate. However, leading physicians only speak of acute tachypnea when the respiratory rate is more than 20 breaths per minute.
As part of the frequency determination, the affected patient must not be subjected to any major exertion. In order to prevent serious complications, it is essential to determine the causes.
causes
In modern society, the occurrence of acute tachypnea is favored by a combination of several factors. Above all, a particularly high level of exertion can contribute significantly to an increase in breathing rate.The excitement of one’s own psyche is regarded by many medical professionals as another cause. Many people suffer from acute tachypnea following a traumatic event . In modern medicine, in addition to the physiological causes, it is above all the pathological causes that are subjected to closer scrutiny.
One of the pathological causes of acute tachypnea is primarily a sudden onset of fever . If your own body temperature rises by just one degree Celsius, the respiratory rate can increase by up to seven breaths per minute. For this reason, active sauna-goers in particular should regularly pay attention to the frequency of their breathing.
However, acute tachypnea can also occur in the context of cardiac insufficiency or severe blood loss. In both cases, the bloodstream can no longer provide the body with the required amount of blood. As a result, an optimal oxygen supply can no longer be fully guaranteed.
Malignant tumors are only very rarely considered as a possible cause of acute tachypnea. The diagnosis of acute tachypnea can only be tackled by a competent physician.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
If the respiratory rate is more than 20 breaths per minute and persists for several days, a doctor should be consulted. If increased oxygen consumption occurs spontaneously and for no apparent reason, a doctor’s visit is necessary because there is a further illness that needs to be examined and treated. If the person concerned experiences a stressful situation for a short time, in most cases no doctor is required. The increased breathing is often a natural response of the body to a challenge that will subside on its own within the coming hours. These include, for example, an exam situation, an accident or a funeral.
If the tachypnea occurs repeatedly or regularly in connection with other symptoms such as sweating, tachycardia , high blood pressure or inner restlessness, a doctor should be consulted. There may be another condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated. Tachypnea is common in people who have experienced trauma. It is advisable to see a doctor to process the traumatic experience.
People who have a feverish cold are also more likely to suffer from tachypnea. A doctor should be consulted as the other symptoms of a cold lead to a worsening of the state of health. The tachypnea disappears as the disease subsides. If it persists, a doctor must initiate additional investigations.
diagnosis and course
Serious complications can only be avoided if acute tachypnea is diagnosed in good time. Various diagnostic methods are used as part of the diagnosis. The blood of the affected patients is subjected to an extensive examination in a laboratory. This is the only way to determine the concentration of blood gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide in the blood.
In addition to laboratory diagnostics, particular attention is paid to instrumental diagnostics. Carrying out an electrocardiogram, for example, enables initial conclusions to be drawn about cardiac arrhythmias .
They often appear as a result of a significant undersupply of oxygen to the heart. A chest X-ray can also rule out pneumonia as a possible cause of the onset of acute tachypnea.
If a patient suffers from acute tachypnea, clinical symptoms are always evident. In the early stages of the disease, a particularly strong feeling of inner restlessness is often felt. Under certain circumstances, acute tachypnea can also be accompanied by side effects such as sweating or impaired consciousness .
complications
Tachypnea is usually associated with severe complications. At the beginning of the disease, those affected experience a strong feeling of inner restlessness, which can be accompanied by sweating, chills and disturbances of consciousness. In the further course, the complications of the respective underlying disease then occur in an increased form. If the symptoms are caused by pneumonia, fever, shortness of breath and the spread of the inflammation often occur. Another possible complication is the aspiration of leftover food, which can be associated with infection in the throat and acute danger of suffocation.
Psychogenic tachypnea can lead to increased carbon dioxide consumption. As a result, the pH of the blood rises and the elimination of endogenous acids increases, which increases the risk of cramps, a lack of oxygen supply to the brain and hormonal imbalances. In extreme cases, tachypnea as part of an infectious disease can lead to blood poisoning and subsequently to septic shock. It is possible that tachypnea is also a warning sign of cardiac insufficiency which, if left untreated, can lead to circulatory arrest and other serious complications. An increased respiratory rate should therefore be clarified immediately by a doctor.
treatment and therapy
As part of the therapy of acute tachypnea, the possible causes are always focused on. However, the priority is to administer oxygen as quickly as possible. If acute tachypnea is in an advanced stage, surgical treatment may have to be considered.
Selected analgesics are usually used to treat any underlying diseases. Through the continuous use of analgesics, the pain of the affected patients can be noticeably relieved in most cases. In addition, fears can also be reliably treated. At the same time, the active ingredients contained have an inhibiting effect on the respiratory center.
Not infrequently, the affected patients are also treated with cortisone . The cortisone usually takes effect directly in the bronchial tubes of the affected patients. As a result, inflammatory processes , among other things, can be stopped as quickly as possible. Since acute tachypnea can sometimes be associated with serious complications, a particularly high level of attention is paid to the aspect of prevention.
prevention
Preventing acute tachypnea usually requires preventing the underlying causes.If, for example, asthma was diagnosed during a medical examination , targeted therapy with selected medication is essential.
In the context of a cold , remedies should always be taken that reduce any fever as quickly as possible. You should also pay attention to regulating your own body temperature when going to the sauna.
Since acute tachypnea often occurs during physical exertion, a particularly high degree of relaxation is essential.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.