Question

Which purpose is true regarding the clinical use of mucolytic therapy?

1) To decrease wheezing
2) To improve oxygenation
3) To improve airway clearance
4) To decrease inflammation in the airways

Answer 1

Mucolytic therapy is primarily used to improve airway clearance by breaking down mucus. This facilitates better breathing and lung function but is not directly intended to decrease wheezing, inflammation, or improve oxygenation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical use of mucolytic therapy is primarily to improve airway clearance by breaking down the mucus that accumulates in the respiratory tract. This therapy aids the removal of mucus, which can become particularly viscous and obstructive in various respiratory conditions. While decreasing wheezing and decreasing inflammation in the airways are important goals in respiratory care, they are typically addressed with bronchodilators and corticosteroids, respectively. Improving oxygenation is a broader goal of treating respiratory conditions and may be indirectly affected by mucolytics through enhanced mucus clearance, but it is not the primary purpose of mucolytic agents.

Understanding the role of such therapies is crucial for managing diseases like chronic bronchitis, where patients need to expel mucus efficiently. However, it is also important to note that mucolytics do not specifically act to suppress the cough reflex; hence, they are not to be confused with cough suppressants, which are not recommended when a productive cough is present.