Which description best fits hypoactive bowel sounds?

• A. Hyperactive: increased sounds (>30/min)
• B. Hypoactive: decreased sounds (<5/min)
• C. Normoactive: normal 5-30/min
• D. Absent: no sounds

Answer: (B)

Bowel sounds reflect how actively the intestines are moving. Normal activity is about 5–30 sounds per minute. When movement slows, the sounds become quieter and less frequent, which is described as hypoactive. This pattern, decreased sounds, occurs with reduced intestinal activity and is commonly seen after surgery, with opioid pain medications, or electrolyte imbalances. The other patterns describe different states: hyperactive means sounds are frequent and increased (more than about 30 per minute), normal means within the 5–30 per minute range, and absent means no sounds at all. So hypoactive fits best with decreased sounds, specifically fewer than 5 per minute.