Hypocapnia

Hypocapnia (from other Greek: ὑπο- - prefix with the value of weakened quality and καπνός - smoke) - a condition caused by a lack of CO ₂ in the blood. The carbon dioxide content in the blood is maintained by the respiratory processes at a certain level, deviation from which leads to a violation of the biochemical balance in the tissues. Hypocapnia manifests itself in the best case in the form of dizziness, and in the worst - ends with loss of consciousness.

Hypocapnia
Molecule CO 2
Mesh	D016857

Hypocapnia occurs with deep and frequent breathing, which automatically occurs in a state of fear, panic or hysteria. Artificial hyperventilation before diving with holding your breath is the most common cause of CO ₂ deficiency. Hypocapnia can also occur when the mouth inflates balloons, air mattresses, etc.

Hypocapnia occurs with age, when the content of CO ₂ in the blood drops below 3.5% of the normal 6%. Hypocapnia causes a persistent narrowing of the lumen of the arterioles , causing symptoms of hypertension , often qualifying as essential. The cause of the fall of CO ₂ in the blood is stress , which causes a reaction of the respiratory center, which does not reactively change the release of CO _{2 by the} lungs even after the end of the stress factor - chronic hyperventilation of the lungs occurs. Also important is physical inactivity . Thus, hypocapnia can be considered as the cause of a complex of diseases associated with vascular hypertension - EAG and its formidable complications - heart and organ infarctions ^[1] .

To control hypocapnia and hypercapnia in medicine, a capnograph is used - an analyzer of the content of carbon dioxide in exhaled air. Carbon dioxide has great diffusion ability, therefore, it is contained in the exhaled air almost as much as in the blood, and the value of the partial pressure of CO ₂ at the end of exhalation is an important indicator of the vital activity of the body.