Cheyne Stokes respirations include apneas lasting how long?

• A. Apnea lasting 10-20 seconds
• B. Apnea lasting 30-60 seconds
• C. Apnea lasting 5-10 seconds
• D. No apnea

Answer: (B)

Cheyne-Stokes respirations are a pattern where breathing waxes and wanes in volume, separated by a period of no breathing (apnea). The apneic pause is not brief; it lasts for a noticeable stretch of time. In classic descriptions, the apneas can range up to about a minute, with the longer end around 30 to 60 seconds being a common reference point. Among the options given, the apnea lasting 30-60 seconds best matches this standard, while a shorter 10–20 second pause would be too brief for this pattern, and 5–10 seconds is even shorter. No apnea would not describe Cheyne-Stokes at all. So, the 30–60 second apneic interval is the best fit.