Hyperventilation is the state of breathing faster and/or deeper than necessary. This is most commonly due to tension or emotional anxiety/panic attacks, but may also be in response to metabolic acidosis which is a medical emergency. The symptoms are not a result of inadequate amounts of oxygen in the blood, but rather a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. The lack of CO2 results in a more alkaline blood and contributes to the severity of the symptoms.