Clinical Diagnosis · Respiratory System · Easy

Hyperventilation

Meaning: Breathing faster or deeper than the body needs, lowering carbon dioxide levels in the blood.

In practice: Anxiety-induced hyperventilation left the student dizzy, breathless and with tingling in both hands before her exam.

Word parts

  • hyper- means above or more than normal

Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.

Quick check

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Which word means: A severe physical injury or the body's response to emotional shock.

Which word means: Loss of vision in half of the visual field of one or both eyes.

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Related words

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