Hi Typer,

When you hyperventilate, or breathe rapidly, your blood level of CO₂ (carbon dioxide) will drop too low causing your blood pH to rise. The reason for this is simply that CO₂ when dissolved in water becomes H₂CO₃, or carbonic acid; a weak acid. Your body needs a certain amount of carbon dioxide in the blood to keep the pH (acid-alkaline or acid-base balance) of blood at a constant level.

As a result of low CO₂ levels in the blood stream, your bloody chemistry is altered. The protein Albumin, which is synthesised by the liver, has its calcium binding ability lowered by the CO₂ reduction which essentially means you have a lower blood calcium level.

As you probably already know, calcium is essential for proper muscle function, so a low level can cause tetany (involuntary cramping) in the extremeties becuase your calcium-phosphate level is in a state of imbalance causing the muscle fibers to contract.

I believe this can happen on a milder scale with milder hyperventilation and may cause tingling in the hands and/or feet. As for whether this can have an effect on your nervous system and cause an increase potential for skips/extra beats, I don't know.

Hope that helps Typer,

George.


P.S. I might be completely wrong about this and the above mentioned processes might be factually incorrect and might not be 100% accurate.

If you are truly hyperventilating, you are blowing off too much CO2 and you will feel short of breath, and may have tingling hands, feet and around your mouth.  It can make you dizzy, too.  Breathing into a paper bag can help.  This will increase your CO2 level.