Which breathing pattern is often seen near death?

• A. Kussmaul
• B. Tachypnea
• C. Cheyne-Stokes
• D. Bradypnea

Answer: (C)

Cheyne-Stokes breathing is the pattern often seen near death. It involves cycles of progressively deeper and sometimes faster breaths followed by a period of apnea, then the cycle repeats. This fluctuating drive to breathe happens as the brainstem and its sensitivity to CO2 become unstable in advanced illness, so the respiratory rhythm becomes irregular and includes pauses. It’s commonly observed in terminal conditions such as severe heart failure, stroke, or brain injury, reflecting the body’s failing regulatory systems. In contrast, patterns like Kussmaul breathing are deep and labored due to metabolic acidosis, tachypnea is simply rapid breathing without the distinct apnea cycles, and bradypnea is unusually slow breathing—none of these show the characteristic waxing and waning with pauses that signals impending death.