Definition

Normal, unlabored breathing, the boring baseline that everyone takes for granted until it's gone. It's what your lungs do when they're not trying to make a statement.

Example Usage

Post-treatment, the patient returned to eupnea with oxygen saturation of 98% on room air.

Origin

From Greek 'eu' (good, normal) + 'pnoia' (breathing)

Fun Fact

Eupnea is so unremarkable that most people never think about it—the average person takes about 20,000 breaths per day without conscious effort.

Source: Respiratory physiology and clinical terminology

Related Terms

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adenoid

Those annoying lymphatic tissue masses lurking at the back of your throat that exist solely to swell up and make breathing difficult during childhood. They're like the body's overenthusiastic security guards, getting inflamed at every passing germ and making you sound like you have a permanent cold. Surgeons love removing them almost as much as tonsils.

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legionella

The bacteria that turns your building's water system into a potential health hazard, famous for thriving in poorly maintained cooling towers and hot tubs. Named after the 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention that taught everyone why HVAC maintenance matters. It's the reason your office now has aggressive water testing schedules and why facility managers have trust issues with air conditioning.

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cyclotron

An early particle accelerator that spins charged particles in an outward spiral using alternating electric fields and magnets, like a subatomic merry-go-round on steroids. Invented in the 1930s, it was the grandfather of modern particle physics research before being largely superseded by more sophisticated machines. Still used today for producing medical isotopes, proving that even outdated physics equipment has better job security than most millennials.

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fistula

An abnormal connection or passageway between two organs or vessels that normally aren't connected. Your body's unauthorized plumbing modification.

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Differential Diagnosis

The medical version of a multiple-choice test where all the answers could be correct and the stakes are someone's actual health. Basically, the doctor makes a list of everything that could be wrong with you, which is both thorough and terrifying.

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pruritus

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