He then began gasping for breath and clutching his chest. Dysfunctional breathing behaviors include apnea (suspension of breathing), gasping, sighing, and wheezing. News reports tell of passengers coughing and gasping for breath. Kussmaul breathing is a kind of very deep, gasping, desperate breathing. The breathing becomes slow, exaggerated and gasping. These signs included coughing, gasping, colour, twitching, and movement. In severe DKA, breathing becomes rapid and of a deep, gasping character, called "Kussmaul breathing". As she is gasping for breath, the killer is revealed to be her uncle. Likewise, the audience gave "uproarious" laughter as he fell backwards, gasping for air. I felt more or less like I was drowning, just gasping between life and death. They open the trunk, gasping and horrified at what they see. He performs gasping movements with his lips. A stertor is a respiratory sound characterized by heavy snoring or gasping. She held perfectly still while the Nazis continued to shoot the wounded or gasping victims. Friends also noted audible "gasping" during his recitations.