Final answer:
Hyperventilation can lead to respiratory alkalosis, a condition where the blood becomes overly alkaline due to rapid breathing that decreases CO2 levels and increases blood pH.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hyperventilation can cause a blood gas issue known as respiratory alkalosis, which is a condition where there is a deficiency of carbonic acid and CO2 levels in the blood, leading to an overly alkaline state. When someone hyperventilates, they breathe out CO2 more rapidly than it is produced, which decreases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and increases the pH, causing an alkaline (basic) state. Conditions such as extreme emotional upset, fever, infections, hypoxia, or an aspirin overdose can lead to hyperventilation and resultant respiratory alkalosis.