Hyperventilation in POTS with Jacquie Baker, PhD

In this resource, Dr. Jacquie Baker discusses her research on hyperventilation in patients with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Contrary to the hypothesis that POTS is primarily a respiratory disorder, Baker's studies suggest that hyperventilation in POTS may instead be linked to decreases in blood volume or stroke volume reaching the brain, which leads to an increased demand for oxygen that triggers hyperventilation, not anxiety or incorrect breathing. Her research did not support the idea that POTS patients "breathe wrong" as part of an anxiety response. She emphasizes that hyperventilation appears to be a physiological response related to blood flow changes rather than psychological. This research suggests that more focus should be placed on understanding the reduction of CO2 and its effects, as well as improving blood flow dynamics as part of POTS treatment.