Dictionary

underventilate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From under- + ventilate.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To ventilate insufficiently.
2. (intransitive) To breathe insufficiently; to hypoventilate.
   • This is usually seen in patients whose respiratory drive is suppressed (e.g., overmedication with narcotics or head trauma), or in patients who underventilate due to pain with breathing (e.g., any thoracic trauma or postoperatively following thoracic and upper abdominal surgery). 2006, Fiona Coyer, Joanne Ramsbotham, “Respiratory Health Breakdown”, in Esther Chang, John Daly, Doug Elliott, editors, Pathophysiology Applied to Nursing Practice, Marrickville, NSW: Mosby, →ISBN, page 145:

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