Many celebrities suffer from respiratory alkalosis, doctors share their real experiences

Recently, many celebrities revealed that they had suffered from respiratory alkalosis, making this disease a hot topic.

Some netizens also said that this was the first time they heard of this disease.

I also had it once in 2023. I vomited very severely on the high-speed train from another city back to Hangzhou. It lasted for two hours. Then I started to feel anxious, short of breath, and gasping for air. I took a taxi to go home and rest, but soon after I got on the car, I started to tremble and feel numb all over. Later, the Didi driver took me to the hospital and watched me get an IV before leaving.

After the doctor's comfort and my own adjustment, these hyperventilation symptoms finally eased.

1. What is respiratory alkalosis?

Respiratory alkalosis, also known as hyperventilation syndrome, is a series of symptoms caused by breathing too much air.

Is breathing too much air a problem? This has to do with the characteristics of the human body: we absorb oxygen very slowly, but we expel carbon dioxide very quickly. [1] Therefore, when we keep exhaling and inhaling in large gulps, we expel much more carbon dioxide than we absorb oxygen, and our body becomes short of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide will synthesize carbonic acid in the body, which is an important acidic component of the human body. When carbon dioxide is insufficient, the acidic component will decrease and the alkaline component will become relatively excessive. Excessive alkaline substances will cause human body poisoning. [1]

Symptoms of poisoning include dizziness, confusion, peripheral and perioral paresthesias, convulsions, and syncope. [2,3]

It is not usually considered a separate disease, but rather a physiological response to other problems, most commonly stress, fear, anxiety, pain, or central nervous system diseases or conditions that alter breathing, such as stroke or epileptic seizures. [2,3]

In the news, rapper Capper said that he suffered from respiratory alkalosis instantly when he walked out of the smoke machine. It is very likely that the substances sprayed out of the smoke machine triggered a respiratory reaction, causing him to breathe heavily.

2. How to treat respiratory alkalosis?

The fundamental treatment method is to control the primary condition, such as calming the patient, sedating, relieving pain, and treating the primary disease. If the breathing rate cannot be restored to normal within a short period of time, a paper bag can be placed over the mouth to breathe. However, if the patient has a central nervous system disease and the pH value of the cerebrospinal fluid may be lower than normal, this method should be used with caution for emergency treatment of respiratory alkalosis. [3]

The picture comes from the Internet

3. How to prevent respiratory alkalosis?

We can prevent respiratory alkalosis by preventing its causes.

(1) Reduce stress, panic, and anxiety. You can try to manage these conditions through therapy, meditation, breathing exercises, and physical exercise.

(2) Control the primary disease, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For these chronic diseases, medication should be taken regularly and reviewed regularly. Do not stop taking medication without authorization. Also, avoid factors that may induce the disease, such as infection, cold air, pollen and other allergens.

(3) Take medication promptly when you have fever or pain. High fever and severe pain may also induce hyperventilation, so extreme endurance of pain and fever is not recommended. You should still take medication when necessary.

(4) Quit smoking, including e-cigarettes. Cigarettes are the most important risk factor for COPD, and some e-cigarettes themselves may induce hyperventilation, so it is recommended to quit all smoking.

(5) Wash your hands frequently and wear a mask to reduce the risk of respiratory infectious diseases.

In short, respiratory alkalosis itself is not worth worrying about too much. It is just a byproduct of other conditions. After reading this article, you will learn a little knowledge that you can use if you encounter it in your life.

References:

[1] Luo Ziqiang, Guan Youfei. Physiology (10th edition). Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House. 2024.

[2] Chen Guoqiang, Qian Ruizhe. Pathophysiology (10th edition). Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House. 2024.

[3] Chen Xiaoping, Zhang Yingze, Lan Ping. Surgery (10th edition). Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House. 2024.

Author: Jiang Yongyuan, Master of Internal Medicine, Third Military Medical University

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association, National Health Science Popularization Expert