Which of the following is a characteristic of emphysema?

Study for the Denver Health EMT Practice Exam. Prepare with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with helpful hints and explanations. Get set to ace your exam!

Emphysema is a chronic respiratory condition that primarily affects the alveoli, the small air sacs in the lungs. One of the hallmark characteristics of emphysema is the development of a barrel chest. This occurs because the lungs are chronically overinflated with air, which can lead to a change in the shape of the chest. The increased air trapping in the lungs causes an expansion of the thoracic cavity, resulting in a rounded appearance rather than a normal elliptical shape.

In more detail, the structural changes in emphysema lead to the destruction of the elastin fibers that help the lungs recoil properly. The loss of this elasticity means that the lungs cannot fully expel air, causing patients to breathe in a way that keeps the lungs more inflated than normal, contributing to the barrel chest appearance. This change is a physical manifestation of the underlying disease process and often occurs alongside other symptoms such as shortness of breath and reduced exercise tolerance.

Other choices, such as fluid accumulation in the lungs, excessive coughing, and frequent lung infections, are typically more associated with other respiratory conditions like pneumonia or bronchitis rather than emphysema. These symptoms may be present in patients suffering from different types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or other

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