Final answer:
Hyperventilation leads to the excessive elimination of carbon dioxide from the body, potentially causing respiratory issues, including the risk of stopping breathing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hyperventilating causes more carbon dioxide than normal to be eliminated via the lungs, which can cause a patient to stop breathing. Hyperventilation is an increased ventilation rate that is independent of the cellular oxygen needs and leads to abnormally low blood carbon dioxide levels and high (alkaline) blood pH, a condition known as hypocapnia. In contrast to hyperpnea, which is an increased depth and rate of ventilation to meet an increase in oxygen demand, hyperventilation can disrupt the acid-base balance in the body and impair respiratory functions, potentially leading to symptoms such as light-headedness, tingling in the limbs, and in severe cases, cessation of breathing.