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The principles on which Buteyko based his theory have been known to the medical profession for decades.
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Typical attacks of bronchial asthma were provoked by voluntary hyperventilation. The history suggests that some of the former asthma attacks were caused by unconscious hyperventilation.
In other cases asthma attacks could be provoked by short exercise. They developed during the recovery period…It is suggested that this is also due to excessive ventilation which prevents the normal carbon dioxide retention during recovery. In each group no asthma attack could be produced if the excess loss of carbon dioxide from the body was prevented. It appears that hyperventilation plays a distinct part in provoking asthma.
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ref: The Lancet - 19 January 1946
During equivalent hyperventilation with air to which 5% carbon dioxide had been added, bronchoconstriction was prevented. It is concluded that hypocapnia (low levels of carbon dioxide) causes bronchoconstriction.
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ref: ‘The Mechanism of Bronchoconstriction due to Hypocapnia in Man’ July 1967
Our data suggest that most asthmatic attacks are associated with hyperventilation
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ref: The New England Journal of Medicine - May 1968
Patients with acute asthma characteristically hyperventilate
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ref: CHEST - January 1989
“The fact that hyperventilation may proceed to asthma or that asthma may be complicated by hyperventilation or that the two may be closely interwoven has been known to me at least since 1960.”
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ref: Letter to CHEST from S. I. Cohen, Dept of Psychiatry, University of London-Jan 1989
The protective effect of swimming for asthmatics might result from hypoventilation (i.e. reduced breathing) and hypercapnia (i.e. high levels of carbon dioxide) due to constrained breathing patterns.
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ref: Letter to The Lancet from P M Donnelly, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Royal Prince Albert Hospital –January 1991
Asthma attacks are frequently accompanied by hyperventilation of physiological origin. However, hyperventilation in asthmatic patients may also be caused by psychological states of extreme arousal or anxiety. 41% of patients referred with suspected hyperventilation syndrome had evidence of asthma. If there is evidence that hyperventilation is causing asthma, teaching the patient to control his breathing may enable him to avoid some of his attacks.
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