A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experiences difficulty exhaling completely. Which of the following physiological changes is LEAST likely to contribute to this impaired exhalation?
Loss of elastic recoil in the lungs
Airway obstruction due to mucus and inflammation
Increased lung compliance
Collapse of smaller airways during exhalation
Related Questions
A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experiences difficulty exhaling completely. Which of the following physiological changes is LEAST likely to contribute to this impaired exhalation?
Loss of elastic recoil in the lungs
Airway obstruction due to mucus and inflammation
Increased lung compliance
Collapse of smaller airways during exhalation
