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Aetiology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Causes of hypoventilation include:

  • respiratory depression, e.g. anaesthesia, analgesia, anoxia, trauma
  • neurological disease, e.g. Guillain-Barre disease; polio - diaphragmatic paralysis - note that in REM sleep everything is paralysed except for the diaphragm; motor neurone disease - less of a problem; syringobulbia
  • respiratory muscle disease, e.g. dermatomyositis, myasthenia gravis
  • limited chest movement, e.g. kyphoscoliosis
  • limited lung movement, e.g. pneumothorax, pleural effusion
  • lung disease, e.g. pneumonia, collapse

Note, a similar list to the aetiology of respiratory arrest.

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