A 65-Year-Old Woman with a Smoking History of 2 Packs/day

Multiple Choice

A 65-year-old woman with a smoking history of 2 packs/day for 30 years has received a diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung disease.She is obviously using her accessory respiratory muscles for breathing; this behavior is caused by:

A) Decreased work of breathing as a result of airflow obstruction.
B) Increased work of breathing as a result of a dysfunction in the neuromuscular junction.
C) Increased work of breathing as a result of airflow obstruction that necessitates active contraction of the expiratory muscles.
D) Abnormal breathing pattern.
E) Increased work of breathing as a result of airflow obstruction that necessitates active contraction of the inspiratory muscles.