Polypnea ortachypnea? That is the question

Abstract

Introduction: Polypnea and tachypnea have different meanings in several texts, and medical students may get confused with just the study of the semiology of dyspnea. Objective: To elucidate the semantic gap between polypnea and tachypnea. Material and Methods: A bibliographic review was conducted using health science descriptors such as tachypnea and polypnea; a search was performed in 15 texts of Medical Semiology and other printed or electronic books and journals, among them, the Revista Española de Cardiología (from January 1997 to December 2020) and Archivos de Bronconeumología (from December 1964 to December 2020); in addition, the etymological analysis of these words was carried out in Medigraphic (2012–2021). Results: Six out of fifteen texts on semiology consider that the terms polypnea and tachypnea are synonymous; four texts only use polypnea; and two use the term tachypnea. Three texts distinguish tachypnea as increased respiratory rate, and polypnea as a rapid, shallow breathing; two texts define tachypnea as a simple increase in the respiratory rate or a decrease in the respiratory amplitude (shallow breathing); and polypnea or hyperpnea as the increase in depth and rate of breathing. In scientific journals, the term tachypnea was used in 192 papers to refer to rapid, shallow breathing; and polypnea had the same meaning in 27 articles. According to its origin, tachypnea means rapid respiratory rate; Polypnea is presented as very frequent and shallow breathing, unrelated to polýpnoos: “that blows forcefully”; while hyperpnea means an increase in the speed and amplitude of respiratory movements. Conclusions: Polypnea and tachypnea should be considered as equivalents of rapid and shallow breathing; simple tachypnea if the respiratory amplitude is normal; and hyperpnea designs a very frequent and deep breathing.

Keywords

• taquipnea, polipnea, hiperpnea, semiología, propedéutica, disnea, respiratorio.