Tachypnea; Breathing - rapid and shallow; Fast shallow breathing; Respiratory rate - rapid and shallow

A normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 8 to 16 breaths per minute. For an infant, a normal rate is up to 44 breaths per minute. Tachypnea is the medical term that your doctor uses to describe your breathing if it is too fast, particularly if you have rapid, shallow breathing due to an associated lung disease or other medical cause.

In contrast, the term hyperventilation is usually used if you are taking rapid, deep breaths because of anxiety or panic. The terms are sometimes used interchangeaby.

Shallow, rapid breathing has many potential medical causes. A partial list includes:

• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Chest pain
• Pneumonia or other lung infection
• Pulmonary embolism
• Transient tachypnea of the newborn

Images

Diaphragm

Diaphragm and lungs

Respiratory system

Next Section

Rapid shallow breathing Treatment

Review Date: 05/21/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)