A 53-year-old man's dyspnea is now being assessed. While the graph on the left depicts the work of breathing vs respiratory rate in a healthy person, the graph on the right illustrates how the patient's work of breathing fluctuates with respiratory rate. In both plots, the minute ventilation is constant and equal. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

Question

A 53-year-old man's dyspnea is now being assessed. While the graph on the left depicts the work of breathing vs respiratory rate in a healthy person, the graph on the right illustrates how the patient's work of breathing fluctuates with respiratory rate. In both plots, the minute ventilation is constant and equal.  Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: In individuals with greater elastic resistance (e.g., pulmonary fibrosis), the labor of breathing is reduced when their respiratory rate is high and their tidal volume is low (fast, shallow breaths). Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, on the other hand, breathe at a lower respiratory rate and with a greater tidal volume (slow, deep breaths) to reduce the labor of breathing.

A 53-Year-Old Man's Dyspnea Is Now Being Assessed