Difference between hyperpnea and tachypnea?

Hyperpnea is hyperventilatory breathing-hard, fast and shallow. Tachypnea is just rapid breaths, "normal" breathing rate is 12-20 breaths per minute and anything above that is labled as tachypnea.

In medicine, hyperventilation (or overbreathing) is the state of breathing faster and/or deeper than necessary, thereby reducing the carbon dioxide concentration of the blood below normal......

This is in contrast to hyperpnea, where the increased breathing is required to meet demand, as during and following exercise or when the body lacks oxygen (hypoxia), for instance in high altitude or as a result of anaemia. Hyperpnea may also occur as a result of sepsis, and is usually a sign of the beginning of refractory sepsis.

Hyperventilation can, but does not necessarily always cause symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the hands, feet and lips, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, chest pain, slurred speech and sometimes fainting, particularly when accompanied by the Valsalva maneuver. Sometimes hyperventilation is induced for these same effects. Hyperventilation can sometimes be self induced for moments of needed focus and adrenaline..............

The related symptom tachypnea (or "tachypnoea") (Greek: "rapid breathing") is characterized by rapid breathing and is not identical with hyperventilation - tachypnea may be necessary for a sufficient gas-exchange of the body, for example after exercise, in which case it is not hyperventilation..................

Causes:

Stress or anxiety commonly are causes of hyperventilation; this is known as hyperventilation syndrome...... Hyperventilation can also be brought about voluntarily, by taking many deep breaths. Hyperventilation can also occur as a consequence of various lung diseases, head injury, or stroke (central neurogenic hyperventilation, apneustic respirations, ataxic respiration, Cheyne-Stokes respirations or Biot's respiration). Lastly, in the case of metabolic acidosis, the body uses hyperventilation to counter the increased acidity of the blood; this is known as Kussmaul breathing...................... :)

bye for now

Hyperpnea is an abnormal increase in the depth and rate of breathing. Tachypnea is excessive rapidity of breathing.
They are terms use to describe the severity of a lung condition. Tachypnea is considered a more serious condition.

Tachypnea refers to rapid breathing only, it can occur with hyperventilation, normal ventilation, or hypoventilation depending on the volume.

Hyperpnea as a respiratory pattern refers to increased rate AND depth, as in Kussmaul's Respiration, resulting in a very increased minute volume. You can see hyperpnea as a pattern right away, but cannot tell if it is physiologically appropriate or hyperventilation without other information, as in panic attack or ketoacidosis.

Hyperpnea as a condition is appropriate hyperventilation, as in ketoacidosis above. This is a more correct usage.