Which term describes eupnea: normal, unlabored respiration; one respiration to four heartbeats?

Which term describes eupnea: normal, unlabored respiration; one respiration to four heartbeats?

• A. Afebril
• B. Pyrexia
• C. Eupnea
• D. Intermittent fever

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is what eupnea means: a normal, unlabored breathing pattern. In healthy individuals, resting respiration is quiet and effortless with a regular rhythm and appropriate depth. Saying there’s one breath for about four heartbeats reflects a typical resting rate, roughly in the normal range, indicating normal ventilation without distress. The other terms refer to fever states—afebrile means no fever, pyrexia means fever, and intermittent fever describes fever that fluctuates. So eupnea precisely names normal breathing, making it the best choice.

The key idea here is what eupnea means: a normal, unlabored breathing pattern. In healthy individuals, resting respiration is quiet and effortless with a regular rhythm and appropriate depth. Saying there’s one breath for about four heartbeats reflects a typical resting rate, roughly in the normal range, indicating normal ventilation without distress. The other terms refer to fever states—afebrile means no fever, pyrexia means fever, and intermittent fever describes fever that fluctuates. So eupnea precisely names normal breathing, making it the best choice.