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<div class="HwContainer HwElement" id="HwContainer"><a class="HwMainSkipNavigation" href="#HwContentTitle"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Skip Navigation</span></a><div class="HwBlock" id="HwMain" role="main"><div class="HwRow"><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar1"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomSidebar"> </div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnContent"><div id="HwContentTop"> </div><div class="HwTypeFocus HwContentWrapper HwElement" role="article" id="HwContentWrapper"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentTop"> </div><div class="HwContentHeader"><p><a name="top" id="Hwtop"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Top of the page</span></a> </p></div><div class="HwContentTitle"><h1 id="HwContentTitle" tabindex="-1">Causes of Hyperventilation</h1></div><div class="HwContentTopNavigation"> </div><div class="HwContent"><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionFloat" id="sec-aa141603-sec"><p fingerprint="fd68159e" fingerprint-exact="c9968c0b">Hyperventilation symptoms can be similar to symptoms that are caused by another problem. Hyperventilation can also be directly caused by:</p><ul fingerprint="6c12264d" fingerprint-exact="c9ef67a0"><li>A medical condition or disease. Examples include: <ul><li><a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="sta123346" data-hw-section="sta123346-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="sta123346" data-hwid="sta123346" hw:section-href="sta123346-sec" href="?id=sta123346#sta123346-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">Asthma</span></a> and <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stc123675" data-hw-section="stc123675-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stc123675" data-hwid="stc123675" hw:section-href="stc123675-sec" href="?id=stc123675#stc123675-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)</span></a>. </li><li>A blood clot, such as a <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="tx1431" data-hw-section="tx1431-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="tx1431" data-hwid="tx1431" hw:section-href="tx1431-sec" href="?id=tx1431#tx1431-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">deep vein thrombosis (DVT)</span></a> or <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stp2035" data-hw-section="stp2035-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stp2035" data-hwid="stp2035" hw:section-href="stp2035-sec" href="?id=stp2035#stp2035-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">pulmonary embolus</span></a>. </li><li>Heart failure. </li><li>Fluid in the lungs, such as <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stp1914" data-hw-section="stp1914-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stp1914" data-hwid="stp1914" hw:section-href="stp1914-sec" href="?id=stp1914#stp1914-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">pulmonary edema</span></a>. </li><li>Infection, such as <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stp1540" data-hw-section="stp1540-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stp1540" data-hwid="stp1540" hw:section-href="stp1540-sec" href="?id=stp1540#stp1540-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">pneumonia</span></a>. </li><li>Scarring of the lungs, such as <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stp1923" data-hw-section="stp1923-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stp1923" data-hwid="stp1923" hw:section-href="stp1923-sec" href="?id=stp1923#stp1923-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">pulmonary fibrosis</span></a>. </li><li>Lung disease. </li><li>Panic disorder. </li><li>Thyroid problems, such as <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stg124253" data-hw-section="stg124253-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stg124253" data-hwid="stg124253" hw:section-href="stg124253-sec" href="?id=stg124253#stg124253-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">Graves' disease</span></a> and <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="sth149987" data-hw-section="sth149987-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="sth149987" data-hwid="sth149987" hw:section-href="sth149987-sec" href="?id=sth149987#sth149987-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">hyperthyroidism</span></a>. </li></ul></li><li>A rapid increase in altitude. </li><li>Exercise. </li><li>Fever. </li><li>Ingestion or overdose of drugs, including amphetamine, aspirin, asthma medicines, cocaine, iron, LSD, or methamphetamine. </li><li>Nervous system problems, such as head injuries, <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="ste122097" data-hw-section="ste122097-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="ste122097" data-hwid="ste122097" hw:section-href="ste122097-sec" href="?id=ste122097#ste122097-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">encephalitis</span></a>, <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stm159376" data-hw-section="stm159376-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stm159376" data-hwid="stm159376" hw:section-href="stm159376-sec" href="?id=stm159376#stm159376-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">meningitis</span></a>, or stroke. </li><li>Physical problems that cause pressure on or within the chest, such as: <ul><li>Chest wall injury. </li><li>Collapsed lung (<a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="stp1638" data-hw-section="stp1638-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="stp1638" data-hwid="stp1638" hw:section-href="stp1638-sec" href="?id=stp1638#stp1638-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">pneumothorax</span></a>). </li><li>Pregnancy. </li><li>Severe abdominal fluid retention (ascites). </li></ul></li><li>Situations where there is a psychological advantage for a person to have a sudden, dramatic illness. </li></ul></div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionRelatedInformation" id="sec-aa141603-RelInfo"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" fingerprint="d5f858e0" fingerprint-exact="c0ffe04b">Related Information</h2><ul fingerprint="e4ba830c" fingerprint-exact="d8f4fc76"><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Symptom" data-hw-document-href="hypvn" data-hw-section="tp2736" hw:document-type="Symptom" hw:document-href="hypvn" data-hwid="hypvn" hw:section-href="tp2736" href="?id=hypvn#tp2736">Hyperventilation</a></li></ul></div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwCreditsSection HwCreditsWithoutNavstack HwSectionCredits" id="sec-aa141603-Credits"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle">Credits</h2><div class="HwContentInformation"><div class="HwLastUpdated"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Current as of: </span> July 31, 2024</p></div><div class="HwCredits"><p><span class="HwInfoLabel">Author: </span><a class="HwLinkExternal" href="https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en" title="Opens in a new window"><span class="HwLinkText">Ignite Healthwise, LLC 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