Is Your Breathing Too Fast or Too Slow

Many patients with COPD often wonder whether their breathing is at the normal rate. With all the other symptoms like breathlessness and fatigue, wondering about your breathing rate can add to the anxiety. Questions like “what is normal for COPD?” and “when do I have to see a doctor to check my respiratory rate?” are very common. Let’s take a look at some answers below.

Respiratory rate – what is it?

First things first – let’s talk about what respiratory rate means. The rate of your breathing, or your respiratory rate, is a measure of how fast or slow your breaths are in one minute. For adults, the normal respiratory rate is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Take note that one breath consists of one complete inhalation-exhalation cycle.

If you are at rest and you have less than 12 breaths per minute, this is considered very slow breathing, which is called “bradypnea.” Anything above 20 breaths per minute is considered very fast breathing, and is called “tachypnea.”

Breathing rates with COPD

In COPD, breathing rate is often increased. This is especially the case with emphysema, because the lungs cannot get adequate oxygen. A low oxygen level can then cause the breathing to become shallow and fast, leading to tachypnea. Additionally, some patients with emphysema can also have very high amounts of carbon dioxide in the body. This can also trigger shallow, rapid breathing.

Aside from low oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide levels, other factors may also cause tachypnea in COPD. One common example is when a fever occurs due to a lung infection. The increased temperature that comes with a fever can trigger your respiratory system to breathe faster to help release body heat. Other conditions that can contribute to very fast breathing include heart problems and anemia.

Anxiety is also common in patients with COPD. Having difficulty in catching your breath can make you frightened and worried, which can trigger panic, breathlessness and tachypnea.

Physical exercise can sometimes bring about breathlessness and rapid breathing. It’s important to always ask your doctor if a new exercise routine is safe for you to do.

How to avoid and treat abnormal breathing rates

Abnormal, fast breathing in COPD can be managed by targeting the underlying cause. For example, if the cause of tachypnea is anxiety, you have to take steps to relax and break the cycle of panic and worry. Techniques like meditation, relaxation breathing, and guided imagery may help. Reducing your anxiety can not only help prevent tachypnea, but can also be beneficial to reducing other symptoms of the disease.

In some cases, you may need to talk with your doctor if you think that your abnormal rapid breathing is caused by an underlying cause. If tachypnea is caused by lack of oxygen, your doctor may give or add medications like bronchodilators. These can help open up the airways and allow more oxygen to get to your lungs. It can also help in promoting exhalation of excessive carbon dioxide.

Other medications like steroids can also reduce swelling in your airways, helping you to breather more easily. If the cause of tachypnea is fever due to a suspected lung infection, your doctor will give you antibiotics to clear up the infection, along with medications to reduce the fever.

Your doctor will also determine if you need oxygen therapy to help normalize your breathing rate. If you are already on supplemental oxygen, your doctor will check if you need an adjustment in dose.

When do you need to go to the hospital?

An abnormal breathing rate itself is not a sole cause for hospitalization, but a COPD exacerbation is. If you notice symptoms like severe breathlessness, excessive mucus and coughing, and an increased respiratory rate, you could be having an exacerbation. In some cases, a severe exacerbation can cause very rapid breathing of more than 25 breaths per minute, along with the symptoms mentioned above. Such a case warrants a trip to the emergency room immediately! Getting rapid treatment is very important.

All in all, an abnormal breathing rate may be a sign that something is wrong. While this isn’t always the case, it’s still better to observe any other symptoms and follow what your body is telling you. If you notice that your breathing rate is too fast or too slow, giving your doctor a visit can help determine and treat any underlying conditions.

Have you experienced abnormally fast or slow breathing? What did you do? Share your experience in the comments below!