A 78-year-old nonsmoking woman with no history of lung disease presents for annual examination. She remains active, walking daily without dyspnea. Vital signs: BP 128/76 mmHg, HR 72/min, RR 16/min, SpO2 98% on room air. Physical examination is unremarkable. Recent spirometry shows FEV1/FVC ratio of 0.78. She denies orthopnea or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. Compared with measurements at age 25, which respiratory system change is most likely present?
- A)Decreased residual volume
- B)Increased vital capacity
- C)Increased chest wall compliance
- D)Increased lung complianceGABARITO
- E)Decreased A a gradient
Explicação
Normal aging is associated with loss of elastic recoil of the lung, which increases lung compliance. At the same time, chest wall compliance decreases, residual volume increases, and the A a gradient widens because of worsening V Q matching. These age related ... Ver explicação completa e trilha adaptativa →