Kussmaul breathing

Kussmaul breathing (after the German biologist and internists Adolf Kussmaul - the designation stems not from a position of the mouth ago), also acidosis - respiratory or Azidoseausgleichsatmung called, refers to a pathological breathing pattern, which is characterized by increased respiratory activity ( hyperventilation) expresses normal frequency. This is caused by excessive acidity (acidosis ) of the blood ( diabetic coma, metabolic acidosis).

Pathophysiology

The Kussmaul breathing is the expression of a metabolic acidosis, which is caused either by a loss of bicarbonate or by an increased H concentration in the blood.

If the blood, the number of protons (H ) is higher than the standard values ​​, the body tries to counteract the drop in pH through the carbon dioxide -bicarbonate system. Here, then, the excess protons are bound to bicarbonate, which ultimately creates carbonic acid ( H2CO3 ). Since carbonic acid is unstable, it decomposes into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water ( H2O). Due to the high content of dissolved CO2, the organism causes a reflex a drive for exhalation of carbon dioxide ( respiratory compensation of metabolic acidosis ) and tries to counteract a drop in pH. Featured is the Kussmaul breathing by characteristic depth, noisy and normalfrequente respiratory movements.