Wheezing is the breath sound due to air trapping in COPD patients, characterized by a high-pitched whistling noise. Spirometry is used to diagnose COPD by measuring airway obstruction. COPD leads to symptoms like shortness of breath and a chronic cough.
The breath sound that is due to air trapping and can often be found in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients is wheezing. In COPD, there is a breakdown of connective tissues which reduces the number and elasticity of alveoli, leading to air trapping in the lungs. This results in a particular breath sound characterized by a high-pitched whistling noise, typically heard upon exhalation, as the narrowed airways create turbulent airflow.
COPD is characterized by symptoms such as shortness of breath and a cough that produces phlegm. Spirometry can be used to diagnose COPD by measuring the rate of air expulsion from the lungs, indicating the presence of airway obstruction resulting in air trapping.
So, wheezing is indicative of air trapping in many COPD patients, arising from lung changes that hamper the full exhalation of air. Spirometry is a critical tool in the diagnosis and assessment of the severity of airflow obstruction in COPD.