How is hyperventilation typically treated in the ER?

Coaching the patient to breathe slowly and deeply into a paper bag is a common treatment for hyperventilation in the ER. This method helps to rebalance the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood that may have been depleted due to excessive rapid breathing. When a person hyperventilates, they exhale too much carbon dioxide, leading to symptoms such as lightheadedness, tingling in the extremities, and shortness of breath.

Using a paper bag to breathe into allows the person to inhale some of the carbon dioxide they just exhaled, which can help alleviate these symptoms and restore normal respiratory function. This approach is often effective and can quickly calm the patient by regulating their breathing pattern.

Other treatment options, while useful in various contexts, do not directly address the underlying issue of hyperventilation in the same way. For example, oxygen therapy may not be beneficial in cases where the issue is excessive exhalation of carbon dioxide rather than a lack of oxygen. Sedative medications may be used in cases of anxiety or panic attacks but are not the primary response to hyperventilation. Lastly, suctioning of the airway is not relevant in this scenario since hyperventilation does not typically involve blockages that would require such an intervention.