Final answer:
Obstructive airway diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and pulmonary edema are characterized by the narrowing and inflammation of bronchioles, leading to difficulty breathing and air trapping in the lungs.
Step-by-step explanation:
An obstructive airway disease is often caused by conditions that lead to the inflammation and narrowing of the bronchioles, which are small air passages within the lungs. Specific diseases that contribute to obstructive airway symptoms include asthma, emphysema, and pulmonary edema. In emphysema, typically caused by long-term tobacco smoking, the alveolar walls are destroyed, which decreases the lungs' surface area for gas exchange and results in increased air trapping. Asthma is characterized by environmental factors triggering inflammation, which can cause edema, smooth muscle spasms in the bronchioles, mucus secretion, and damage to the airway epithelia. These conditions lead to an obstruction of the airways, making breathing difficult and often leading to increased lung volume as the body attempts to compensate.