Question

During an acute asthma attack, airway resistance is significantly increased by 1) increased thick mucous secretions and 2) airway smooth muscle spasms. To which lung value in the spirogram would you see the greatest change in a patient suffering from an acute asthma attack

A) Tidal volume
B) Inspiratory reserve volume
C) Expiratory reserve volume
D) Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)

Answer 1

During an acute asthma attack, the lung value that would show the greatest change on a spirogram is the Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). This decrease in FEV1 indicates increased airway resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

During an acute asthma attack, airway resistance is significantly increased. The two main factors contributing to this increase are increased thick mucous secretions and airway smooth muscle spasms.

In a spirogram, the lung value that would show the greatest change in a patient suffering from an acute asthma attack is the Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). A decrease in FEV1 indicates increased resistance in the airways, making it harder for the patient to exhale air from their lungs.