What does tachypnea mean?

• A. Slow breathing
• B. Irregular heartbeat
• C. Rapid breathing
• D. Deep breathing

Answer: (C)

Rapid breathing describes tachypnea. In a resting adult, normal breathing is about 12–20 breaths per minute. When the rate exceeds that, it’s tachypnea. It tells you the person is breathing faster, not necessarily deeper, so the depth of each breath can vary. Tachypnea often signals respiratory distress or a need to compensate for issues like low oxygen, fever, infection, anxiety, pain, or metabolic problems such as acidosis. The other terms describe different things: slow breathing is bradypnea, an irregular heartbeat is not about breathing at all, and deep breathing refers to greater depth, which isn’t what tachypnea by itself defines.