Start free

Free PSTAR practice Aeromedical

What is the recommended treatment for hyperventilation below 8,000 feet?

  1. AIncrease the depth of breathing.
  2. BHold the breath and perform a Valsalva manoeuvre.
  3. CSlow the breathing rate to below 12 times per minute.Correct answer
  4. DIncrease oxygen flow rates.

Why this is the answer

Per TC AIM-AIR (Hyperventilation), below 8,000 ft hypoxia is unlikely, so the remedy is to consciously slow the breathing rate (to about 10-12 per minute) and not breathe deeply, restoring carbon dioxide levels. Increasing depth of breathing or oxygen would make it worse.

Reference

TC AIM-AIR – Hyperventilation

Question reproduced verbatim from Transport Canada’s PSTAR Study and Reference Guide (TP 11919E). The answer key is Transport Canada’s; the explanation is ours.

A study aid — not a substitute for the official guide, the CARs, or your instructor.

More PSTAR questions on Aeromedical

Ready to see where you stand?

Take the full 50-question PSTAR mock — the real 90-minute clock, graded the moment you finish. Free, no account.

Start the free mockRead the PSTAR guide