Hyperventilation will cause abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood, leading the chemical changes within the blood.
What causes them?
- Casualty recently experienced an emotional or psychological shock.
Ways to identify
- Unnaturally fast, deep breathing.
- Attention-seeking behaviour
- Dizziness or faintness
- Trembling or marked tingling in the hands
- Cramps in the hand and feet
Treatment
1. When speaking to the casualty, be firm but kind and reassuring.
2. If possible, lead the casualty away to a quiet place where she may be able to regain control of her breathing more easily and quickly. If this is not possible, ask any bystanders to leave.
3. If the casualty failed to regain control of her breathing, ask her to rebreathe her own exhaled air from a paper bag. Tell her to breathe in and out slowly, using the bag, about 10 times and then breathe without the bag for 15 seconds. She should continue on with this cycle until the need to breathe rapidly has passed.
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4. Encourage the casualty to see her doctor about preventing and controlling panic attacks in the future.
**The End**
All the information above are from First Aid Manual 8th Edition.
