By skyforbes 
Obstructive Lung Disease Practice Questions
1. Which of the following are obstructive lung diseases?
The types of obstructive lung diseases include COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.
2. What are the late signs of COPD?
Barrel chest, flattened diaphragm, accessory muscle usage, edema from cor pulmonale, changes in mental status due to decreased oxygen.
3. COPD includes what two dysfunctions?
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis
4. What is reduced or elevated in obstruction lung diseases?
FEV1 is reduced, VC may be reduced, and the TLC is normal or increased.
5. How is residual volume affected in obstructive lung diseases?
It increases.
6. What is COPD, and how does it occur?
It is a group of chronic respiratory disorders that cause irreversible and progressive damage to the lungs. They are debilitating conditions that may affect the individual’s ability to work and may lead to respiratory failure.
7. What is the general issue with an obstructive lung disease?
Difficulty blowing out air
8. Are obstructive lung diseases reversible?
They can be reversible (i.e., asthma) or fixed (i.e., nonreversible).
9. What do obstructive diseases result from?
They result from increased resistance to airflow due to a partial or complete obstruction.
10. Obstructive diseases occur at what level?
They may occur at any level, from the trachea to the respiratory bronchioles.
11. Obstructive diseases may result from what?
Anatomic airway narrowing (e.g., asthma); or the loss of elastic recoil of the lungs (e.g., emphysema).
12. What does COPD lead to?
It leads to large, permanently inflated alveolar air spaces.
13. What are the two primary causes of COPD?
Cigarette smoking and alpha1-antitrypsin
14. How can a COPD patient enhance survival?
Smoking cessation is the first-line intervention; also, annual influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations help enhance survival.
15. What is the emergency management of asthma?
Early and frequent use of aerosolized beta-2 agonists; high-dose corticosteroids; oxygen therapy; and antibiotics.
16. What is the environmental control of asthma?
Remain inside with windows closed, no pets, air purifiers, dust, and avoid all known triggers.
17. What are two characteristics of asthma?
Airway inflammation and increased mucus production.
18. What are two characteristics of bronchiectasis?
Excessive purulent sputum and irreversible dilatation of the bronchi.
19. What are two characteristics of chronic bronchitis?
Coughing for 3 months out of the year, for 2 consecutive years; and excessive secretions.
20. What are two characteristics of cystic fibrosis?
It’s a genetic condition and it causes high salt content in sweat.
21. What are two characteristics of emphysema?
It’s characterized by less surface area in the alveoli, and it may result in cor pulmonale.
22. How do you optimize lung function for COPD?
PRN bronchodilators for all COPD patients; systemic corticosteroids; and methylxanthines.
23. What is the primary goal of treating COPD?
Maximize the ability to perform daily tasks.
24. What are types of atelectasis?
Resorption, passive, and lobar atelectasis.
25. What is an acute exacerbation of COPD?
A state of worsening of COPD that is often defined by the need to increase medication and/or escalate care.
Practice Quiz
Access our quiz with sample TMC practice questions and detailed explanations to help you master the key concepts of pathology.
26. What is airway hyperresponsiveness?
A state of the airways that causes them to constrict abnormally in response to stress or insults (e.g., exercise, inhaled materials such as dust or allergens).
27. What is airway inflammation?
Localized protective response to pathogens occurring within the routes for passage of air into and out of the lungs and invoking the release of mediators, including mast cells, eosinophils, macrophage, epithelial cells, and T lymphocytes.
28. What is airway obstruction?
A state of abnormally slowed expiration, characterized most commonly by a decrease in FEV1.
29. What is asthma?
A clinical condition characterized by airway obstruction, which is partially or completely reversible either spontaneously or with treatment.
30. What is a bronchodilator?
A drug that relaxes contractions of the smooth muscle walls of the bronchioles to improve ventilation in the lungs. Pharmacologic bronchodilators are prescribed to improve aeration in asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, and emphysema.
31. What is bronchospasm?
The abnormal contraction of the smooth muscle tissues of the bronchi that results in acute narrowing and obstruction.
32. What is chronic bronchitis?
A condition in which a chronic productive cough is present for at least 3 months of the year for at least 2 consecutive years.
33. What is COPD?
A disease state of the respiratory system characterized by the presence of incompletely reversible airflow obstruction.
34. What is emphysema?
A condition characterized by abnormal, permanent enlargement of the airspaces beyond the terminal bronchioles, accompanied by destruction of the walls of airspace without fibrosis.
35. What is supplemental oxygen?
Oxygen delivered at concentrations exceeding 21% to increase the amount circulating within the blood.
36. Why do patients with emphysema have a progressive difficulty with expiration?
Air trapping and increased residual volume.
37. Which spirometry volumes change in obstructive lung diseases?
Obstructive lung diseases cause an increase in residual volume and functional residual capacity (FRC).
38. How can a flattened diaphragm be discovered?
A chest radiograph (e.g., as in emphysema)
39. What is a barrel chest?
Fixation of ribs in a respiratory position; increased anterior-posterior diameter of thorax; commonly seen in patients with emphysema.
40. What are the signs and symptoms of emphysema?
Dyspnea, hyperventilation with a prolonged expiratory phase, development of barrel chest, anorexia, fatigue, weight loss, and digital clubbing.
41. What are the diagnostic tests for emphysema?
Chest radiography and pulmonary function testing (PFT).
42. What is the treatment for emphysema?
Avoidance of respiratory irritants, immunization against influenza and pneumonia, pulmonary rehabilitation, appropriate breathing techniques, and adequate nutrition and hydration.
43. What are the warning signs of chronic bronchitis?
Inflammation, obstruction, repeated infections, and chronic coughing.
44. What typically describes a patient’s history with chronic bronchitis?
History of cigarette smoking or living in urban or industrial areas.
45. What is the progression of chronic bronchitis?
Mucosa inflamed and swollen, hypertrophy and hyperplasia of mucous glands, fibrosis/thickening of the bronchial walls, low oxygen levels, severe dyspnea and fatigue, pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale.
46. What are the signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis?
Constant productive cough, tachypnea, shortness of breath, frequent thick and purulent secretions, cough and rhonchi more severe in the morning, hypoxia, cyanosis, hypercapnia, polycythemia, weight loss, and cor pulmonale.
47. What is asthma?
Bronchial obstruction that occurs in people with hypersensitive or hyperresponsive airways.
48. Asthma often occurs at what ages?
It may occur in childhood or adulthood, and there is often a family history of allergic conditions.
49. What is extrinsic asthma?
Acute episodes triggered by type I hypersensitivity reactions.
50. What is intrinsic asthma?
The onset occurs during adulthood; hyperresponsive tissues in the airways initiate an attack.
51. What are the stimuli for intrinsic asthma?
Respiratory infections, stress, exposure to cold, inhalation of irritants, exercise, and drugs.
52. What are the pathophysiological changes of asthma?
In the bronchi and bronchioles, there is inflammation of the mucosa with edema, bronchoconstriction caused by contraction of smooth muscle, there is increased secretions of thick mucus in the airways, and these changes create obstructed airways.
53. What are the symptoms of asthma?
Cough, marked dyspnea, chest tightness, wheezing, rapid and labored breathing, and expulsion of thick or sticky mucus.
54. What are the signs of asthma?
Tachycardia, pulsus paradoxus, hypoxia, respiratory alkalosis, respiratory acidosis, severe respiratory distress, and respiratory failure.
55. What is pulsus paradoxus?
When the pulse differs on inspiration and expiration, as seen in patients with asthma.
56. Hypoventilation can lead to what?
Hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis
57. What is status asthmaticus?
A persistent severe attack of asthma that does not respond to usual therapy; it is a medical emergency and may be fatal because of severe hypoxia and acidosis.
58. How do obstructive lung diseases affect the forced expiratory volume?
They cause a decrease in the FEV1/FVC ratio.
59. Cystic fibrosis affects what primary organs?
The lungs and pancreas.
60. A patient with cystic fibrosis shows what in the lungs?
Obstructed airflow in the bronchioles and small bronchi that causes permanent damage to the bronchial walls; infections that are commonly caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa and staphylococcus aureus.
61. What does CBABE stand for?
Cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, asthma, bronchitis (chronic) and emphysema.
62. Obstructive lung diseases involve breathing difficulty during what?
Exhalation
63. Obstructive lung diseases lead to what?
Breathing difficulties
64. What is the most unique obstructive lung disease?
Cystic fibrosis
65. How does an obstructive lung disease affect exercise tolerance?
It reduces the ability to engage in physical activity due to dyspnea.
Final Thoughts
Obstructive lung diseases represent a diverse group of conditions with shared characteristics of airflow limitation and respiratory symptoms.
While each disease entity presents unique challenges, a comprehensive approach to diagnosis, treatment, and patient education is crucial in managing these conditions effectively.
By implementing evidence-based guidelines and personalized care plans, healthcare providers can minimize symptom burden, reduce exacerbation frequency, and optimize quality of life for individuals living with obstructive lung diseases.