ATI PN Adult Medical Surgical 2019 Related

Review ATI PN Adult Medical Surgical 2019 related questions and content

The healthcare provider is assessing a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which finding should the provider expect?

  • A. Increased anteroposterior chest diameter.
  • B. Decreased respiratory rate.
  • C. Dull percussion sounds over the lungs.
  • D. Hyperresonance on chest percussion.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Increased anteroposterior chest diameter. In COPD, the chronic airway obstruction leads to air trapping, causing the chest to become hyperinflated. This results in an increase in the anteroposterior chest diameter, often referred to as "barrel chest."

Explanation for why other choices are incorrect:
B: Decreased respiratory rate is not typically seen in COPD; patients often exhibit an increased respiratory rate due to difficulty breathing.
C: Dull percussion sounds over the lungs are associated with conditions like pneumonia or pleural effusion, not COPD.
D: Hyperresonance on chest percussion is typically found in conditions like emphysema, a type of COPD, but it is not specific to COPD as a whole.