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A 62-year-old male, former smoker with a 40-pack-year history, presents to the clinic with
worsening shortness of breath over the past year. He reports a chronic productive cough, fatigue,
and occasional wheezing. He finds it difficult to walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to
catch his breath. The patient also mentions that he gets frequent respiratory infections, and the
last one led to a three-day hospital stay. Physical examination reveals a barrel-shaped chest, use
of accessory muscles for breathing, and decreased breath sounds with wheezes upon
auscultation. A chest X-ray shows hyperinflation of the lungs, and spirometry confirms a
decreased FEV1/FVC ratio, consistent with COPD.
In 1 -2 pages, answer the questions below in detail. You must use current evidence-based
resources to support your answers. Follow APA guidelines. Follow the grading rubric.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What factors in the patient’s history and lifestyle could have contributed to the
development of COPD? What about occupational hazards – what would be some
components that could cause COPD in the work environment?
How does smoking lead to the changes seen in the lungs, such as hyperinflation and the
barrel-shaped chest?
What physiological mechanisms are responsible for the patient’s chronic productive
cough?
How does alveolar destruction impact gas exchange and contribute to the patient’s
symptoms of fatigue and breathlessness?
Pathophysiological – why might this patient be more susceptible to frequent respiratory
infections?
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