Shallow and/or slow breathing, often caused by the effects of injury or drugs on the respiratory centre. It causes HYPERCAPNIA and HYPOXIA.
n. breathing at an abnormally shallow and slow rate, which results in an increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. Alveolar hypoventilation may be primary, which is very rare, or secondary, which can be due to destructive lesions of the brain or to an acquired blunting of respiratory drive arising from failure of the respiratory pump.
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