Final answer:
The statement is true; Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease reduces the surface area for gas exchange due to the destruction of alveoli walls, making breathing and gas exchange less efficient.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or False: Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease (COPD) decreases the surface area for gas exchange. This statement is true. COPD, which primarily includes conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, leads to a decrease in the surface area available for gas exchange due to the destruction of alveoli walls. In emphysema, the loss of alveoli walls, which are critical for gas exchange, significantly reduces the surface area over which oxygen and carbon dioxide can be exchanged between the air and the bloodstream. Additionally, the causal link between tobacco smoke exposure and the progression of emphysema highlights how this surface area is compromised in smokers.
Moreover, the alterations in the ventilation and perfusion of the lungs, which are essential components of effective gas exchange, also contribute to the decreased efficiency. The result is a V/Q mismatch, which occurs when ventilation (the air reaching the alveoli) and perfusion (the blood reaching the alveoli via capillaries) are not adequately matched, leading to less effective oxygenation of the blood and removal of carbon dioxide.
As COPD progresses, the lungs become more stiff and less compliant, trapping air during exhalation. This reduced lung function further complicates breathing and diminishes gas exchange efficiency, which is exacerbated by increased resistance in the lungs from obstructed airways full of mucus and inflammation.