aetiology
Last reviewed 01/2018
Possible causes of hyperventilation in the presence of a normal chest X-ray and no abnormal lung signs include:
- psychiatric illness, e.g. hysteria
- pulmonary emboli
- initial stages of pulmonary oedema
- an interstitial lung disease
- hyperthyroidism
- fever
- metabolic acidosis, for example, diabetic ketoacidosis
- weakness of the respiratory muscles
- lymphangitis carcinomatosis
- stimulation of the central nervous system:
- drugs, e.g. salicylate poisoning
- irritative lesions, e.g. cerebral tumours, stroke, infections