hyperventilation: Meaning and Definition of

hy•per•ven•ti•la•tion

Pronunciation: (hī"pur-ven"tl-ā'shun), [key]
— n.
  1. excessively rapid and deep breathing.
  2. a condition characterized by abnormally prolonged and rapid breathing, resulting in decreased carbon dioxide levels and increased oxygen levels that produce faintness, tingling of the fingers and toes, and, if continued, alkalosis and loss of consciousness.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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