The Nurse Is Assessing an 80-Year-Old Patient Who Has No

Multiple Choice

The nurse is assessing an 80-year-old patient who has no underlying respiratory pathology but whose carbon dioxide level is slightly elevated.The nurse would contribute this increase to which changes associated with normal aging? Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
Select all that apply.

A) Alveolar-capillary membrane thinning
B) Increase in total lung surface area
C) Increase in size of the airways
D) Increase in air trapping
E) Overgrowth of alveoli