A patient is admitted to the critical care unit with acute respiratory failure secondary to COPD.The patient has a 15-year history of emphysema and bronchitis.On inspection, the nurse notes that the patient is experiencing air trapping.While auscultating his chest, you note the presence of coarse, rumbling, low-pitched sounds in the right middle and lower lobes.Which of the following best describes the patient's breathing pattern?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Air trapping is described as a normal breathing pattern interspersed with forced expirations.As the patient breathes, air becomes trapped in the lungs, and ventilations become progressively shallower until the patient actively and forcefully exhales.

A Patient Is Admitted to the Critical Care Unit with Acute