NEET Biology: Disorders related to respiration-Emphysema Practice Questions

Correct answer: C — Decreased forced vital capacity

Due to loss of elastic recoil and air trapping, the patient experiences difficulty in fully expanding the lungs, leading to reduced forced vital capacity and altered breathing mechanics.

Correct answer: D — Increased total lung volume

Air trapping causes the lungs to become hyperinflated, increasing the total lung volume, which is the direct consequence of the trapped air in the alveoli.

Correct answer: C — Decreased airway resistance

Air trapping occurs because the loss of elastic recoil prevents the airways from fully collapsing during expiration, leading to retention of air in the distal parts of the lung.

Correct answer: A — Alveoli

Emphysema is fundamentally defined by the pathological enlargement of air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles, which involves the destruction of the alveolar walls and the loss of elastic recoil.

Correct answer: D — Airflow is often increased due to airway widening and loss of tethering

While the destruction leads to hyperinflation, the overall airflow dynamics are complicated by the loss of elastic recoil and the altered anatomy, often resulting in increased flow but poor exchange.

Correct answer: B — Loss of elastic tethering in the lung parenchyma

The loss of elastic tissue and the altered structure in emphysema lead to problems with the elastic recoil of the lung, causing air to get trapped in the airways, especially during expiration.

Correct answer: B — Chronic hypoxemia and respiratory acidosis

Chronic inadequate oxygenation (hypoxemia) and the inability to properly expel CO2 lead to systemic effects, often resulting in chronic hypoxemia and associated respiratory acidosis.

Correct answer: D — Ventilation-perfusion mismatch

The destruction creates poorly ventilated areas (due to destroyed alveoli) that are still perfused, leading to a ventilation-perfusion mismatch.

Correct answer: A — Alveoli

Emphysema is characterized by the pathological enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) due to the destruction of their walls, leading to a loss of elasticity and reduced surface area for gas exchange.

Correct answer: A — Decreased lung compliance

Loss of elastic tissue leads to a decrease in the lung's ability to recoil and expand, resulting in decreased lung compliance (stiffer lungs).

Correct answer: A — It reduces the surface area available for exchange

While emphysema increases the total surface area, the destruction and loss of functional alveoli reduce the effective surface area available for efficient gas exchange.

Correct answer: B — Impaired alveolar-capillary membrane integrity

The destruction of alveolar walls compromises the integrity of the alveolar-capillary membrane, leading to impaired diffusion of gases and potential shunting.

Correct answer: B — Rib cage

The elastic recoil of the lungs is crucial for normal breathing mechanics. Loss of this recoil makes it harder for the lungs to expand and contract effectively, affecting the entire respiratory system.

Correct answer: D — Increased work of breathing

Loss of elastic recoil means the lungs require more effort (increased work of breathing) to inflate and maintain volume, even if the initial compliance is high.

Correct answer: C — Physiological dead space

The destruction of alveolar architecture causes air to be trapped within the lung structure that cannot participate in gas exchange, increasing the physiological dead space.