A patient with longstanding emphysema has a barrel-shaped chest. Which physiologic change contributes to this?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: Loss of alveolar septa
Loss of alveolar septa decreases elastic recoil and increases lung compliance, causing hyperinflation and barrel chest.
Keep practicing
More Respiratory Conditions questions
- A patient with asthma has thickened basement membranes and smooth muscle hypertrophy on biopsy. What does this indicate?
- A patient with COPD has increased anterior–posterior chest diameter. Which pulmonary function test is most likely reduced?
- A patient with severe ARDS requires mechanical ventilation. Which strategy reduces ventilator-associated lung injury?
- A patient with asthma develops elevated eosinophils. Which protein is released by eosinophils that damages epithelial cells?
- A COPD patient has chronic hypercapnia. What is the main drive for respiration in such cases?
- A 62-year-old man with a 40-pack-year smoking history presents with chronic productive cough and dyspnea. His FEV1/FVC ratio is reduced. Wh…