Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
1. An elderly client with pneumonia may appear with which of the following symptoms first?
A. Altered mental status and dehydration
B. fever and chills
C. Hemoptysis and dyspnea
D. Pleuretic chest pain and cough
2. Which of the following pathophysiological mechanisms that occurs in the lung parenchyma allows pneumonia
to develop?
1. Atelectasis
2. Bronchiectasis
3. Effusion
4. Inflammation
3. A 7-year-old client is brought to the E.R. He’s tachypneic and afebrile and has a respiratory rate of 36
breaths/minute and a nonproductive cough. He recently had a cold. From his history, the client may have which of
the following?
1. Acute asthma
2. Bronchial pneumonia
3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
4. Emphysema
4. Which of the following assessment findings would help confirm a diagnosis of asthma in a client suspected of
having the disorder?
1. Circumoral cyanosis
2. Increased forced expiratory volume
3. Inspiratory and expiratory wheezing
4. Normal breath sounds
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,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
5. Which of the following types of asthma involves an acute asthma attack brought on by an upper respiratory
infection?
1. Emotional
2. Extrinsic
3. Intrinsic
4. Mediated
6. A client with acute asthma showing inspiratory and expiratory wheezes and a decreased expiratory volume
should be treated with which of the following classes of medication right away?
1. Beta-adrenergic blockers
2. Bronchodilators
3. Inhaled steroids
4. Oral steroids
7. A 19-year-old comes into the emergency department with acute asthma. His respiratory rate is 44
breaths/minute, and he appears to be in acute respiratory distress. Which of the following actions should be taken
first?
1. Take a full medication history
2. Give a bronchodilator by neubulizer
3. Apply a cardiac monitor to the client
4. Provide emotional support to the client.
8. A 58-year-old client with a 40-year history of smoking one to two packs of cigarettes a day has a chronic cough
producing thick sputum, peripheral edema, and cyanotic nail beds. Based on this information, he most likely has
which of the following conditions?
1. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
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,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
9. The term “blue bloater” refers to which of the following conditions?
1. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
10. The term “pink puffer” refers to the client with which of the following conditions?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
11. A 66-year-old client has marked dyspnea at rest, is thin, and uses accessory muscles to breathe. He’s
tachypneic, with a prolonged expiratory phase. He has no cough. He leans forward with his arms braced on his
knees to support his chest and shoulders for breathing. This client has symptoms of which of the following
respiratory disorders?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
12. It’s highly recommended that clients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema have Pneumovax and
flu vaccinations for which of the following reasons?
1. All clients are recommended to have these vaccines
2. These vaccines produce bronchodilation and improve oxygenation.
3. These vaccines help reduce the tachypnea these clients experience.
4. Respiratory infections can cause severe hypoxia and possibly death in these clients.
13. Exercise has which of the following effects on clients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema?
1. It enhances cardiovascular fitness.
2. It improves respiratory muscle strength.
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,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
3. It reduces the number of acute attacks.
4. It worsens respiratory function and is discouraged.
14. Clients with chronic obstructive bronchitis are given diuretic therapy. Which of the following reasons best
explains why?
1. Reducing fluid volume reduces oxygen demand.
2. Reducing fluid volume improves clients’ mobility.
3. Restricting fluid volume reduces sputum production.
4. Reducing fluid volume improves respiratory function.
15. A 69-year-old client appears thin and cachectic. He’s short of breath at rest and his dyspnea increases with
the slightest exertion. His breath sounds are diminished even with deep inspiration. These signs and symptoms fit
which of the following conditions?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
16. A client with emphysema should receive only 1 to 3 L/minute of oxygen, if needed, or he may lose his hypoxic
drive. Which of the following statements is correct about hypoxic drive?
1. The client doesn’t notice he needs to breathe.
2. The client breathes only when his oxygen levels climb above a certain point.
3. The client breathes only when his oxygen levels dip below a certain point.
4. The client breathes only when his carbon dioxide level dips below a certain point.
17. Teaching for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should include which of the
following topics?
1. How to have his wife learn to listen to his lungs with a stethoscope from Wal-Mart.
2. How to increase his oxygen therapy.
3. How to treat respiratory infections without going to the physician.
4. How to recognize the signs of an impending respiratory infection.
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Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
1. An elderly client with pneumonia may appear with which of the following symptoms first?
A. Altered mental status and dehydration
B. fever and chills
C. Hemoptysis and dyspnea
D. Pleuretic chest pain and cough
2. Which of the following pathophysiological mechanisms that occurs in the lung parenchyma allows pneumonia
to develop?
1. Atelectasis
2. Bronchiectasis
3. Effusion
4. Inflammation
3. A 7-year-old client is brought to the E.R. He’s tachypneic and afebrile and has a respiratory rate of 36
breaths/minute and a nonproductive cough. He recently had a cold. From his history, the client may have which of
the following?
1. Acute asthma
2. Bronchial pneumonia
3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
4. Emphysema
4. Which of the following assessment findings would help confirm a diagnosis of asthma in a client suspected of
having the disorder?
1. Circumoral cyanosis
2. Increased forced expiratory volume
3. Inspiratory and expiratory wheezing
4. Normal breath sounds
1 of 34
,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
5. Which of the following types of asthma involves an acute asthma attack brought on by an upper respiratory
infection?
1. Emotional
2. Extrinsic
3. Intrinsic
4. Mediated
6. A client with acute asthma showing inspiratory and expiratory wheezes and a decreased expiratory volume
should be treated with which of the following classes of medication right away?
1. Beta-adrenergic blockers
2. Bronchodilators
3. Inhaled steroids
4. Oral steroids
7. A 19-year-old comes into the emergency department with acute asthma. His respiratory rate is 44
breaths/minute, and he appears to be in acute respiratory distress. Which of the following actions should be taken
first?
1. Take a full medication history
2. Give a bronchodilator by neubulizer
3. Apply a cardiac monitor to the client
4. Provide emotional support to the client.
8. A 58-year-old client with a 40-year history of smoking one to two packs of cigarettes a day has a chronic cough
producing thick sputum, peripheral edema, and cyanotic nail beds. Based on this information, he most likely has
which of the following conditions?
1. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
2 of 34
,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
9. The term “blue bloater” refers to which of the following conditions?
1. Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
10. The term “pink puffer” refers to the client with which of the following conditions?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
11. A 66-year-old client has marked dyspnea at rest, is thin, and uses accessory muscles to breathe. He’s
tachypneic, with a prolonged expiratory phase. He has no cough. He leans forward with his arms braced on his
knees to support his chest and shoulders for breathing. This client has symptoms of which of the following
respiratory disorders?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
12. It’s highly recommended that clients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema have Pneumovax and
flu vaccinations for which of the following reasons?
1. All clients are recommended to have these vaccines
2. These vaccines produce bronchodilation and improve oxygenation.
3. These vaccines help reduce the tachypnea these clients experience.
4. Respiratory infections can cause severe hypoxia and possibly death in these clients.
13. Exercise has which of the following effects on clients with asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema?
1. It enhances cardiovascular fitness.
2. It improves respiratory muscle strength.
3 of 34
,Airway – Obstruction and Asthma
3. It reduces the number of acute attacks.
4. It worsens respiratory function and is discouraged.
14. Clients with chronic obstructive bronchitis are given diuretic therapy. Which of the following reasons best
explains why?
1. Reducing fluid volume reduces oxygen demand.
2. Reducing fluid volume improves clients’ mobility.
3. Restricting fluid volume reduces sputum production.
4. Reducing fluid volume improves respiratory function.
15. A 69-year-old client appears thin and cachectic. He’s short of breath at rest and his dyspnea increases with
the slightest exertion. His breath sounds are diminished even with deep inspiration. These signs and symptoms fit
which of the following conditions?
1. ARDS
2. Asthma
3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis
4. Emphysema
16. A client with emphysema should receive only 1 to 3 L/minute of oxygen, if needed, or he may lose his hypoxic
drive. Which of the following statements is correct about hypoxic drive?
1. The client doesn’t notice he needs to breathe.
2. The client breathes only when his oxygen levels climb above a certain point.
3. The client breathes only when his oxygen levels dip below a certain point.
4. The client breathes only when his carbon dioxide level dips below a certain point.
17. Teaching for a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should include which of the
following topics?
1. How to have his wife learn to listen to his lungs with a stethoscope from Wal-Mart.
2. How to increase his oxygen therapy.
3. How to treat respiratory infections without going to the physician.
4. How to recognize the signs of an impending respiratory infection.
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