Hyperventilation Syndrome: why is it so often overlooked?

Abstract

Hyperventilation syndrome is far more common than generally believed, and thus usually unrecognized. It often produces misleading complaints that include alterations of consciousness, inexplicable sensory and motor sensations, and it is often masked by coexisting somatic symptoms. Confounding the confusion, patients are often unaware of excessive breathing, and subjective “dizziness” is often the presenting complaint, which may lead to syncopal episodes. Obscuring recognition further, symptoms attributed to the panic disorder often overlap with those of hyperventilation. Proper diagnosis of hyperventilation is described by the simple bedside maneuver of forced breathing. This diagnosis must be considered before effective management can occur.