Following are terms that specify a type of lung size and/or activity. More specific definitions may be found in individual articles. *

Eupnea In the mammalian respiratory system, eupnea is normal, good, healthy and unlabored breathing, sometimes known as ''quiet breathing'' or a ''resting respiratory rate''. In eupnea, expiration employs only the Elasticity (physics), elastic recoil of t ...

– normal breathing *

Apnea Apnea, BrE: apnoea, is the temporal cessation of breathing. During apnea, there is no movement of the muscles of inhalation, and the volume of the lungs initially remains unchanged. Depending on how blocked the airways are ( patency), there ...

– absence of breathing * Bradypnea – decreased breathing rate *

Dyspnea Shortness of breath (SOB), also medically known as dyspnea (in AmE) or dyspnoea (in BrE), is an uncomfortable feeling of not being able to breathing, breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as "a subjective experience of brea ...

or ''shortness of breath'' – sensation of respiratory distress *

Hyperaeration Inhalation (or Inspiration) happens when air or other gases enter the lungs. Inhalation of air Inhalation of air, as part of the cycle of breathing, is a vital process for all human life. The process is autonomic (though there are exceptions ...

/Hyperinflation – increased lung volume *

Hyperpnea Hyperpnea, or hyperpnoea (forced respiration) is increased volume of air taken during breathing. It can occur with or without an increase in respiration rate. It is characterized by deep breathing. It may be physiologic—as when required by oxyge ...

– fast and deep breathing *

Hyperventilation Hyperventilation is irregular breathing that occurs when the rate or tidal volume of breathing eliminates more carbon dioxide than the body can produce. This leads to hypocapnia, a reduced concentration of carbon dioxide dissolved in the blood. ...

– increased breathing that causes CO₂ loss *

Hypopnea Hypopnea is overly shallow breathing or an abnormally low respiratory rate. Hypopnea is defined by some to be less severe than apnea (the complete cessation of breathing), while other researchers have discovered hypopnea to have a "similar if not ...

– slow and shallow breathing *

Hypoventilation Hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when ventilation is inadequate (''hypo'' meaning "below") to perform needed respiratory gas exchange. By definition it causes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia ...

– decreased breathing that causes CO₂ gain *

Labored breathing Labored respiration or labored breathing is an abnormal respiration characterized by evidence of increased effort to breathe, including the use of accessory muscles of respiration, stridor, grunting, or nasal flaring. Classification Labored breat ...

– physical presentation of respiratory distress *

Tachypnea Tachypnea, also spelt tachypnoea, is a respiratory rate greater than normal, resulting in abnormally rapid and shallow breathing. In adult humans at rest, any respiratory rate of 1220 per minute is considered clinically normal, with tachypnea be ...

– increased breathing rate *

Orthopnea Orthopnea or orthopnoea is shortness of breath (dyspnea) that occurs when lying flat, causing the person to have to sleep propped up in bed or sitting in a chair. It is commonly seen as a late manifestation of heart failure, resulting from fluid ...

– Breathlessness in lying down position relieved by sitting up or standing *

Platypnea Platypnea or platypnoea is shortness of breath (dyspnea) that is relieved when lying down, and worsens when sitting or standing upright. It is the opposite of orthopnea. The condition was first described in 1949 and named in 1969. A related cond ...

– Breathlessness when seated or standing, relieved by lying flat *

Trepopnea Trepopnea is dyspnea (shortness of breath) that is sensed while lying on one side but not on the other (lateral recumbent position). It results from disease of one lung, one major bronchus, or chronic congestive heart failure that affects only a s ...

– Breathlessness when lying flat relieved by lying in a lateral position * Ponopnea – Painful breathing

See also