(chān′stōks′)

[John Cheyne; William Stokes]
A breathing pattern marked by a period of apnea lasting 10 to 60 sec, followed by gradually increasing depth and frequency of respirations (hyperventilation). It occurs in dysfunction or depression of the cerebral hemispheres, (as in coma), in basal ganglia disease, and occasionally in congestive heart failure. It often indicates a grave prognosis in adults but may be a normal finding in children.