What Does tachypnea Mean
As we have mentioned, there can be many and varied causes that cause a person to have tachypnea. However, among the most significant are asthma, lung diseases such as emphysema, meningitis, lung-type infections such as pneumonia or even a pathology related to the heart.
Tachypnea is the name for the increase in respiratory rate or rhythm . This frequency refers to the number of breaths (inhalations and exhalations) that a person takes in a certain time period.
The nervous system is in charge of regulating this rhythm , which is generally measured in the number of breaths per minute . Tachypnea occurs when the number of breaths per minute exceeds the figure that is considered normal according to the age and state of rest or activity of the subject. If the rhythm, on the other hand, is lower than usual, it is called bradypnea .
In the case of adults, it is argued that the normal breathing rate is between 12 and 20 breaths per minute . This figure can rise to 45 breaths per minute when the person is performing moderate intensity physical activity, and even exceed 60 breaths per minute in the case of athletes subjected to great effort.
These values reveal that tachypnea is diagnosed if an adult at rest or doing mild physical exercise exceeds 20 breaths per minute. Tachypnea appears when the individual breathes so shallow and very quickly. This phenomenon can be due to different types of diseases that a doctor must diagnose and treat.
It is known as transient tachypnea of the newborn to a disorder that occurs when the fetus lung edema persists postnatally. This can cause a tachypnea of up to 160 breaths per minute, when the usual in newborns is not to exceed 60 breaths per minute.
In the case of babies, it is worth knowing other particularities in this regard, such as those shown below:
-It is considered that there is 1% of babies who suffer from it.
-As a general rule, it is more common in boys than in girls.
-The main reason that it appears in babies is that they have fluid in what are the lungs. It is a liquid that they keep in that part of the body during pregnancy but that is eliminated during childbirth. However, there are little ones who cannot end it the moment they come into the world.
-As a general rule, tachypnea usually lasts a maximum of three days and it is usual for it to appear in the moments immediately after birth.
-Usually it does not involve excessive danger and in order to have the best security guarantees, what will be done is to keep the baby admitted for a few more days.