Tachypnea is an increase in the respiratory rate. It can be due to increased oxygen requirements, especially during physical exertion, but can sometimes be the consequence of pneumonia, a lung disease.

Tachypnea is a medical term for an increase in the rate of breathing. It results in rapid breathing with an increase in the number of respiratory cycles (inspiration and expiration) per minute.

In adults, an increase in respiratory rate is abnormal when it exceeds 20 cycles per minute.

In young children, the respiratory rate is higher than in adults. An abnormal increase in respiratory rate is seen when it is:

• greater than 60 cycles per minute, in infants less than 2 months;
• greater than 50 cycles per minute, in children between 2 and 12 months;
• greater than 40 cycles per minute, in children between 1 and 3 years old;
• greater than 30 cycles per minute, in children between 3 and 5 years old;
• greater than 20 cycles per minute, in children from 5 years old.

Tachypnea, rapid, deep breathing

Tachypnea is sometimes associated with rapid and deep breathing to distinguish it from polypnea, which is rather defined as rapid and shallow breathing. During tachypnea, the respiratory rate increases, which leads to an increase in alveolar ventilation (the amount of air entering the lungs per minute). Conversely, a polypnea is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation due to the decrease in tidal volume (volume of inspired and expired air).

Tachypnea can have several explanations. Respiratory rate may increase in response to:

• increased need for oxygen, especially during physical effort;
• certain pathologies, some of which pneumonia, diseases of the lungs which can have several origins.

Cases of pneumopathies

Tachypnea can be the consequence of certain pneumopathies:

• the pneumonia, acute respiratory infections of the lungs which are often caused by infectious agents of viral or bacterial origin;
• the laryngites, inflammation of the larynx (organ located in the throat, after the pharynx and before the trachea) of which there are several forms such as subglottic laryngitis which can cause tachypnea;
• the bronchitis, inflammation of the bronchi (structures of the respiratory system) which may be due to irritation of the lungs, or to a viral or bacterial infection;
• the bronchiolites, a form of viral infection of the lower respiratory tract which can manifest as an increased rate of breathing;
• theasthma, a chronic disease of the respiratory tract whose attacks are usually accompanied by tachypnea.

Tachypnea is often temporary. However, in some cases, this respiratory disorder can persist and put the body at risk of complications.

When it persists, tachypnea may require appropriate medical management. This depends on the origin of the respiratory disorder. Established by a general practitioner or a pulmonologist, the diagnosis makes it possible to direct the care towards:

• drug treatment, especially in the case of infections and inflammation of the respiratory tract;
• artificial ventilation, in the most severe cases when tachnypnea persists.

When artificial ventilation is considered, two solutions can be implemented:

• non-invasive mechanical ventilation, which consists in applying a helmet or a face mask, nasal or nasal-oral, to restore normal breathing to patients with moderate tachypnea;
• invasive artificial ventilation, which consists of introducing a tracheal intubation tube, either nasally, orally, or by surgery in the trachea (tracheostomy), in order to restore normal breathing in patients with severe and persistent tachypnea.