Hypocapnia is a condition where there is a reduced level of carbon dioxide in the blood, often caused by hyperventilation due to anxiety or stress. This can cause problems with brain function and can lead to blackouts, which can be dangerous. Inducing hypocapnia intentionally can be fatal and is considered extremely dangerous.
Hypocapnia, also called hypocapnia, is the condition of having a reduced level of carbon dioxide in the blood. Although generally considered a waste product, carbon dioxide is an important part of body chemistry and is needed to balance pH and regulate breathing. Several things can cause hypocapnia, including some medications and an irregular breathing pattern.
The most common cause is breathing too fast or too deeply. This increased breathing rate, called hyperventilation, can be a temporary condition caused by anxiety or stress, or it can be indicative of a chronic problem. Occasionally, hyperventilation may be intentionally induced to create a feeling of high. As respiration increases, the oxygen level in the bloodstream increases and the carbon dioxide level decreases.
Hyperventilation and the state of hypocapnia it leads to can create problems with brain function. It can cause blood vessels in the brain to constrict, which can lead to decreased oxygen levels in the brain. This can create feelings of dizziness, anxiety and difficulty seeing straight. In most cases, the patient is able to recover quickly and easily because the effects reverse quickly when breathing returns to normal.
Occasionally, when breathing doesn’t return to normal, hypocapnia can lead to more serious problems. It can affect the brainstem, which is responsible for monitoring and regulating breathing. If the brain stem senses a large drop in carbon dioxide and a subsequent rise in oxygen levels, it can suppress a person’s breathing to the point where they lose consciousness. Blackout can lead to injury because the affected person is likely to fall and be unable to recover. Breathing usually returns to normal while the affected person is unconscious.
A state of hypocapnia can be induced for a variety of reasons, although this can be fatal. Freedivers occasionally hyperventilate before diving because this allows them to stay underwater for longer periods of time. This has led to many drownings, as the condition can cause a blackout while a diver is underwater. Tweens and adolescents, especially girls, sometimes use self-induced hypocapnia to experience the dizzy state that occurs in conjunction with brain hypoxia. Injuries due to blackouts and brain damage are risks of this activity, which is considered extremely dangerous for the health of the participating children.
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