Definition

Noun: A specific, abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by a cyclical, gradual increase in the depth and frequency of breaths followed by a gradual decrease, culminating in a period of apnea (temporary cessation of breathing). This cycle then repeats.

Usage

This term is used exclusively in medical contexts to describe a serious clinical sign associated with various conditions, particularly those affecting the brain or heart.

Examples

• The patient's deteriorating neurological status was indicated by the onset of Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
• Cheyne-Stokes respiration is often observed in patients with severe congestive heart failure.
• The medical team noted the cyclical pattern of Cheyne-Stokes respiration on the monitor.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in diagnostic descriptions and clinical notes. It is typically not used in everyday conversation.
• It can be described as a form of .

Variants and Related Words

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing: An exact synonym.
• Periodic breathing: A broader category of abnormal breathing patterns that includes the Cheyne-Stokes type.

Synonyms

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing
• Periodic breathing (in a clinical sense)

Different Meanings

This term has only one specific meaning in modern English: the medical definition described above. It is an eponym, named after physicians John Cheyne and William Stokes.

Notes

• The term is always hyphenated: Cheyne-Stokes.
• It is often capitalized as it is derived from proper names, though it is sometimes seen in lowercase in continuous text.

Noun

1. abnormal respiration in which periods of shallow and deep breathing alternate