The nurse is educating older adults in a senior citizens center about the signs and symptoms of emphysema. Which of the following is the first symptom of this respiratory alteration?

Question

A) Leaning forward instead of lying down
B) Barrel chest
C) Contracting the neck muscles when breathing
D) Difficulty breathing following exertion

Answer 1

D
Feedback:
The first symptom of emphysema is difficulty in breathing after exertion. Other symptoms include wheezing and a chronic cough. Many individuals use abdominal muscles as well as other accessory muscles to aid in breathing. The person is afraid to lie down, so he or she sits up, leaning forward and contracting the neck muscles with every breath. The person also raises the shoulder girdle and shows retraction above the clavicles when breathing. The chest becomes barrel shaped, and the individual looks anxious.