Question

A 37-year-old female smoker presents with a 2-year history of progressive shortness of breath, intermittent nonproductive cough, wheezing (especially during winter), and her father has emphysema since his 40s. Her forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) is 45

1) Inflammation and narrowing of the airways
2) Decreased elasticity of the lung tissue
3) Damage to the alveoli
4) Impaired clearance of mucus from the airways

Answer 1

A 37-year-old female smoker with progressive respiratory symptoms likely has emphysema, a form of COPD characterized by alveolar damage and non-reversible lung function decline. Her low FEV1 value is indicative of obstructive lung disease. Lifestyle changes and treatment can alleviate symptoms but not reverse lung damage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient is presenting symptoms suggestive of an obstructive lung disease, likely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This includes shortness of breath, nonproductive cough, and wheezing, alongside a family history of emphysema. Emphysema is one form of COPD characterized by damage to the alveoli and decreased elasticity of lung tissue, leading to air being trapped in the lungs and reduced lung function.

Her FEV1 value being 45% indicates severe obstruction, typically seen in obstructive lung diseases like emphysema, as opposed to restrictive diseases where the FEV1/FVC ratio would be higher. The progressive nature of the shortness of breath and familial history suggests that her symptoms are due to the structural changes in the lungs associated with emphysema, largely caused by her smoking habit.

Treatment may include medications like inhaled bronchodilators and supplemental oxygen to alleviate symptoms, although the underlying damage to the lung tissue is not reversible. Lifestyle changes, particularly smoking cessation, are crucial in slowing the progress of the disease.