What Causes Tachypnea (Rapid Breathing)?

Tachypnea is the medical term for rapid, shallow breathing. A normal respiratory (breathing) rate in adults is 12-20 breaths per minute while at rest. A breathing rate that is higher than your typical rate is considered tachypnea.

Rapid breathing can occur when your body's demand for oxygen increases, like during exercise or at higher altitudes. Rapid breathing can also develop in response to an underlying condition. These conditions can range from mild to severe and include respiratory infections, anxiety, asthma, pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs), and heart disease. 

Tachypnea almost always requires medical attention and treatment. Determining the underlying cause can help restore normal breathing patterns and lower the risk of future tachypnea episodes.

What Does Tachypnea Feel Like?

When experiencing tachypnea, your breaths will be quick and short. You may feel a sense of urgency in your breathing—as if you can't take a full, deep breath. Your breaths may be noticeably shallower than usual, and your chest may move up and down rapidly. Tachypnea can occur during physical activity or when resting.

You may have other symptoms along with tachypnea, including: 

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Tingling sensations in fingers and toes 
• Rapid heart rate 
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Panic or anxiety

Tachypnea may be acute and occur suddenly or chronic, persisting over a more extended period or in recurrent episodes.

Causes of Tachypnea 

Tachypnea develops due to inadequate oxygen or excess carbon dioxide in the blood. When oxygen levels in the blood drop or carbon dioxide levels rise, your breathing rate increases to restore balance. This increase in breathing ensures your body's tissues and organs receive the oxygen they need. There are many possible causes of tachypnea, including acute and chronic conditions. 

Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections can cause inflammation and congestion in the lungs and airways, making breathing more difficult. Some respiratory infections also cause fever, which may lead to tachypnea as the body attempts to release heat and cool down. Respiratory infections that can cause tachypnea include:

• Pneumonia: This bacterial, fungal, or viral infection in one or both lungs causes fluid buildup in the air sacs. Symptoms include fever, chills, cough with phlegm, and rapid breathing as the body attempts to get enough oxygen.
• Bronchiolitis: This viral respiratory infection causes mucus buildup in the bronchioles (small airways in the lungs) and is common in children. Bronchiolitis can cause tachypnea, fever, fatigue, wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, and bluish-tinted lips and skin (cyanosis).
• Influenza: The flu can cause tachypnea, particularly in children. Rapid breathing may be a sign the illness is worsening and that medical attention is needed. Other symptoms of the flu include fever, body aches, and fatigue.

Respiratory Conditions

Acute and chronic conditions that reduce lung function can cause tachypnea. Respiratory conditions associated with tachypnea include: 

• Asthma: This chronic lung disease causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, making breathing difficult. Tachypnea is a common symptom of asthma attacks and can occur alongside symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. 
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): COPD, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, gradually damages the airways or lung tissues, blocking airflow and making breathing harder. COPD exacerbations (worsening symptoms) occur when inflammation or damage to the lungs or airways affects normal breathing, leading to tachypnea. 
• Collapsed lung (pneumothorax): This occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall, causing the lung to partially or entirely collapse. Tachypnea, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, dry cough, and rapid heartbeat are common symptoms of pneumothorax. 
• Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs): These chronic lung diseases cause damage and scarring of the lungs' air sacs (alveoli) and airways. ILDs cause the lung interstitium (the space between the air sacs and surrounding small blood vessels) to become thick and stiff, making it harder for the lungs to move oxygen out of the lungs and carbon dioxide out of the bloodstream. This can lead to tachypnea, dry cough, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. 
• Pulmonary edema: Fluid buildup in the air sacs can interfere with the lungs' ability to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the bloodstream, leading to tachypnea, wheezing, heart palpitations, excessive sweating, and pale skin.

Cardiovascular Conditions

Conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels can impair the heart's ability to pump and deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body. Tachypnea can occur when the body tries to compensate for low oxygen levels by increasing your breathing rate.

Heart failure, which causes structural or functional problems in the heart, can weaken the heart muscle and affect its ability to pump blood effectively. This leads to tachypnea and other symptoms, such as fatigue, leg and ankle swelling, and shortness of breath.

A pulmonary embolism, a common acute cardiovascular condition, happens when a blood clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream before getting stuck in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs. This disorder is a medical emergency that can cause tachypnea, chest pain, and rapid heart rate.

Anxiety and Panic Disorders

People with anxiety and panic disorders can develop anxiety episodes or panic attacks in response to thoughts or situations that cause stress or fear. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, fear, or dread and can have physical symptoms like rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that may result in a panic attack. Panic attacks trigger the body's fight-or-flight response, leading to a surge of the hormone adrenaline. Adrenaline then rushes into the bloodstream, triggering changes in your body in response to the perceived threat. 

Tachypnea often develops during panic attacks to ensure your body gets the oxygen it needs to respond to threats. Panic attacks usually develop suddenly, with symptoms lasting 20-30 minutes. Along with rapid, shallow breathing, you may also experience a racing heart, sweating or chills, shaking, weakness, dizziness, chest pain, or nausea.

Other Potential Causes

Many other conditions and situations can cause rapid breathing, including: 

• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): A life-threatening complication of diabetes, DKA occurs when the body produces high levels of ketones, chemicals produced when breaking down fat for energy. Ketones can build up in the bloodstream, making the blood too acidic and causing symptoms like tachypnea, fatigue, dry or flushed skin, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and fruity-smelling breath.
• Anemia: This condition occurs when the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to deliver oxygenated blood to its tissues and organs. Tachypnea can happen when the body tries to bring in more oxygen. Other symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness, rapid heart rate, and pale skin.
• Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, increasing metabolism and heart rate. As the body's demand for oxygen increases with hyperthyroidism, some people may experience tachypnea and other symptoms, such as rapid heart rate, anxiety, and weight loss.
• Sepsis: This life-threatening condition can develop in response to the body's extreme, overactive response to an infection. Tachypnea is the hallmark symptom of sepsis. 
• Certain medications: Misuse or overuse of certain medications, such as antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), antispasmodics, and sleep aids, can lead to tachypnea.
• Neurological disorders: Brain injuries or neurological conditions affecting the nervous system, such as a brain tumor or stroke, can cause tachypnea. 

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Tachypnea usually requires medical attention. See a healthcare provider if you experience any episodes of rapid, shallow breathing. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have tachypnea with any of the following symptoms:

• Bluish-tinted skin, nails, lips, or gums
• Chest pain 
• Chest pulling in with each breath (intercostal retractions)
• Fever
• Difficulty breathing

You should also see a healthcare provider if any of your symptoms worsen.

A healthcare provider, such as a primary care physician or urgent care provider, can evaluate your symptoms and recommend appropriate treatment. Your healthcare provider may perform diagnostic tests, such as a chest X-ray, blood tests, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), or electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), to determine the cause of your rapid breathing. 

Treatments for Tachypnea

Initial treatments for tachypnea may focus on restoring breathing patterns and reducing discomfort. This may include administering supplemental oxygen through a mask or tubes in the nose to help increase blood oxygen levels. Addressing the cause of tachypnea can help prevent future episodes, which may require short- or long-term treatment strategies.

Medications can help treat acute and chronic causes of tachypnea. Bronchodilators (medicines that reduce airway inflammation and keep the airways open) can help treat respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD, and antibiotics can treat bacterial respiratory infections.

Some causes of tachypnea, such as pneumothorax, may require medical procedures or surgery to treat. 

Prevention

It is not always possible to prevent tachypnea. However, if you have a condition that increases your risk of experiencing tachypnea episodes, such as asthma or COPD, following your treatment plan can help lower your risk. 

Lifestyle modifications may help prevent tachypnea if anxiety or panic disorders are the cause. This may include: 

• Eating regular, nutritious meals
• Getting enough quality sleep
• Limiting caffeine
• Limiting alcohol 
• Exercising regularly

A Quick Review

Tachypnea, or rapid breathing, has many possible causes, including respiratory infections, cardiovascular conditions, respiratory conditions, and anxiety and panic disorders. See a healthcare provider immediately if you experience tachypnea so that you can restore normal breathing patterns. Treatment varies, depending on the underlying cause.