Final answer:
Dyspnea means labored breathing or shortness of breath and is the correct answer for the symptoms described. It can be associated with various medical conditions, including COPD, and may be affected by physiological changes such as those that occur during pregnancy. Option d.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dyspnea, commonly known as labored breathing, is a condition where a person experiences difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, often described as an intense tightness in the chest or feeling of suffocation. It is a symptom that can occur in various medical conditions, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and can also be affected by physiological changes during pregnancy. For example, during the second half of pregnancy, dyspnea may occur due to the growing uterus exerting upward pressure on the diaphragm, decreasing the volume of each breath.
In the context of the options provided, the correct answer is (d) labored breathing. Chronic conditions like COPD can manifest with symptoms of dyspnea, and it often progressively worsens, making daily activities increasingly difficult. Moreover, increased resistance in the lungs can be detected using a diagnostic tool called spirometry, which measures how much air one can exhale and at what rate, offering insights into respiratory conditions that could lead to dyspnea.