• Wrong document? Swap it for free
  • Written by students who passed
  • Immediately available after payment
  • Read online or as PDF
Sell
Where do you study
Your language
Document preview thumbnail
Preview 2 out of 7 pages
Exam (elaborations)

Medical-Surgical Nursing – COPD – Academic Year – Study Notes

Document preview thumbnail
Preview 2 out of 7 pages

This document covers Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including causes, symptoms, and nursing care. It provides structured notes for Med-Surg study.

Content preview

M
e
d
s
u
r
g
:
C
O
P
D

Save




Students
also
studied

, Terms in this set (14)


Which diagnostic test will the clinic nurse anticipate to confirm a diagnosis of
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a patient with dyspnea?

Spirometry

Chest x-ray

Arterial blood gas (ABG)

CT scan of the chest


Spirometry

Spirometry is needed to confirm the presence of airflow obstruction and the
severity of COPD. The patient is given a short-acting bronchodilator, and post-
bronchodilator values are compared with a normal reference value. Chest x-
rays are not diagnostic but can show a flat diaphragm caused by hyperinflated
lungs. ABGs are used to determine gas exchange but are not diagnostic of
COPD because many diseases can impact ABG results. CT scans are not
used routinely to diagnose COPD.


Which factor causes the clinical manifestations of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Decrease in respiratory drive

Inability to effectively expire air

Enhanced elastic recoil of airways

Diminished inflammatory response


Inability to effectively expire air

In COPD, changes in the airways lead to loss of elastic recoil, airflow
obstruction during expiration, and ineffective expiration. Respiratory drive is not
decreased in COPD. Elastic recoil of the airways is decreased, leading to
hyperinflation of the alveoli and loss of lung elasticity. Increased inflammatory
response to noxious gases, such as tobacco smoke, leads to chronic
inflammatory airway changes that are characteristic of COPD.


Cachexia


weakness and wasting of the body due to severe illness

Document information

Uploaded on
April 8, 2026
Number of pages
7
Written in
2025/2026
Type
Exam (elaborations)
Contains
Questions & answers
$12.99

Wrong document? Swap it for free Within 14 days of purchase and before downloading, you can choose a different document. You can simply spend the amount again.
Written by students who passed
Immediately available after payment
Read online or as PDF

Seller avatar
Reputation scores are based on the amount of documents a seller has sold for a fee and the reviews they have received for those documents. There are three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The better the reputation, the more your can rely on the quality of the sellers work.
AnswersCOM
3.6
(236)
Sold
1433
Followers
355
Items
27084
Last sold
2 days ago



Why students choose Stuvia

Created by fellow students, verified by reviews

Quality you can trust: written by students who passed their tests and reviewed by others who've used these notes.

Didn't get what you expected? Choose another document

No worries! You can instantly pick a different document that better fits what you're looking for.

Pay as you like, start learning right away

No subscription, no commitments. Pay the way you're used to via credit card and download your PDF document instantly.

Student with book image

“Bought, downloaded, and aced it. It really can be that simple.”

Alisha Student

Working on your references?

Create accurate citations in APA, MLA and Harvard with our free citation generator.

Working on your references?

Frequently asked questions