RESP means respiratory rate, and the normal respiratory rate is 16-18 times per minute. Too fast or too slow respiratory rate reflects the disease status of human body. A respiratory rate of more than 20 times is called tachypnea. Common diseases include fever caused by bacterial infections, because a feverish body causes an increase in oxygen supply and provides more oxygen through an increase in respiratory rate, and pain and anemia also cause an increase in respiratory rate. Because anemia refers to a decrease in red blood cells, the function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen, and anemia will compensate by increasing the respiratory rate to provide oxygen. A respiratory rate of less than 12 breaths is called hypopnea and is commonly associated with overdose of anesthetics or increased intracranial pressure.