Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

One of the common signs of hyperventilation syndrome is related to which mineral's levels in the blood decreasing?

1. Iron

2. Potassium

3. Calcium

4. Sodium

The correct answer is: Calcium

Hyperventilation syndrome often leads to a condition called respiratory alkalosis, which can result from excessive breathing and subsequent decreases in carbon dioxide levels in the blood. As carbon dioxide levels fall, there is a shift in acid-base balance, which can lead to reduced ionized calcium levels in the blood. This decrease in ionized calcium can cause various symptoms such as tingling sensations, muscle cramps, or spasms, commonly known as tetany. In cases of hyperventilation syndrome, patients might experience symptoms due to low levels of calcium, making this mineral particularly relevant. Other minerals, such as sodium, potassium, and iron, are important for various bodily functions, but they are not directly linked to the symptoms or mechanisms that arise from hyperventilation syndrome in the same way that calcium is. Thus, identifying calcium as the mineral whose levels decrease provides crucial insight into the physiological changes that occur during hyperventilation.