Kussmaul breathing is characterized by which description?

• A. Rapid, deep labored breathing.
• B. Irregular and varying depth of breathing.
• C. Frequently interspersed deeper breaths.
• D. Periods of deep breathing alternate with periods of apnea.

Answer: (A)

Kussmaul breathing is a compensatory response to metabolic acidosis, where ventilation is increased to blow off CO2. The hallmark is fast, very deep breaths that are effortful, often using the chest and abdominal muscles. The rhythm tends to be regular with little or no pause between breaths, which differentiates it from patterns that have pauses or irregular depths. So the description that fits best is rapid, deep labored breathing. It’s not about irregular breathing with pauses or alternating deep breaths with apnea, which are seen in other breathing patterns.