The nurse assesses wheezes in a patient with asthma and realizes that these breath sounds result from:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because wheezes in asthma are caused by the movement of air through narrowed airways due to bronchoconstriction and inflammation. This narrowing leads to turbulent airflow, resulting in the characteristic high-pitched musical sound of wheezes. Increased thickness of respiratory secretions (A) may cause crackles, not wheezes. Use of accessory muscles (B) indicates respiratory distress but does not directly cause wheezes. Tachypnea and tachycardia (C) are common in asthma but do not directly cause wheezes. Thus, D is the most directly related to the pathophysiology of wheezes in asthma.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: muscle. Lung tissue does not contain muscle tissue; instead, it is primarily composed of alveolar sacs for gas exchange, blood capillaries for oxygen exchange, and interstitial fluid for support. Muscles are not part of the structure of the lungs as they are not involved in the respiratory process. In summary, muscles are not found in lung tissue, making option D the correct choice.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: When the diaphragm and external intercostals contract, the thoracic cavity expands, causing the lungs to expand and the intrapulmonary pressure to decrease (choice D). This decrease in pressure allows air to flow into the lungs (choice A). The diaphragm moves inferiorly during contraction, not superiorly (choice C). The intrapleural pressure actually decreases when these muscles contract, not increases, due to increased thoracic volume and decreased intrapleural pressure acting as a suction to keep the lungs inflated (choice B). Therefore, the correct answer is B, as the intrapleural pressure actually decreases when the diaphragm and external intercostals contract.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, while the intercostal muscles contract to lift the rib cage and sternum upward and outward to increase lung volume for air intake. This creates a negative pressure in the lungs, allowing air to be drawn in. In contrast, expiration involves relaxation of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, leading to the rib cage and sternum moving downward and inward to expel air. Therefore, the correct answer is D: Inspiration. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect as they do not specifically involve the physiological process of rib cage and sternum movement related to breathing.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Pleural membrane/pleura. The pleural membrane is a double-layered serous membrane that covers the lungs. The visceral pleura is attached to the lung surface, while the parietal pleura lines the chest cavity. This arrangement helps reduce friction and allows the lungs to expand during breathing. A: Pericardium covers the heart, not the lungs. B: Perichondrium covers cartilage, not the lungs. D: Peritoneum covers abdominal organs, not the lungs. Therefore, the correct choice is C because it specifically refers to the covering of the lungs.