Kussmaul respirations are characterized by rapid, deep breathing at a consistent pace.
They are indicative of metabolic acidosis, or when the body accumulates too much acid.
Kussmaul respirations are occasionally described as air hunger, emphasizing the strong need to breathe.
The most common cause of Kussmaul respirations is diabetic ketoacidosis, which can occur in individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Diabetic ketoacidosis commonly presents as a first sign of type 1 diabetes before the individual has been diagnosed.
Kussmaul respirations may also result from renal tubular acidosis, when the kidneys are unable to excrete acid properly and subsequently cause an accumulation of acid in the blood.
Other causes of Kussmaul respirations include cancer, toxins in the body, alcohol misuse, sepsis, and failure of certain organs.
Kussmaul respirations are fast, deep breaths that occur in response to metabolic acidosis.
Kussmaul respirations happen when the body tries to remove carbon dioxide, an acid, from the body by quickly breathing it out.