Clearance of mucus produced in the tracheobronchial tree in chronic bronchitis secondary to smoking may:
A. Be hampered by the fact that the amount of mucus is increased by the number of mucus-producing cells at the expense of ciliated cells.
B. Be slowed if patients have decreased lung volume and are therefore unable to generate a vigorous cough that would cause an inflammatory process.
C. Cause a decrease in diffusion capacity and associated hypoxemia.
D. All of the above.
Answer:A
Clearance of mucus produced in the tracheobronchial tree in chronic bronchitis secondary to smoking may:
A. Be hampered by the fact that the amount of mucus is increased by the number of mucus-producing cells at the expense of ciliated cells. B. Be slowed if patients have decreased lung volume and are therefore unable to generate a vigorous cough that would cause an inflammatory process. C. Cause a decrease in diffusion capacity and associated hypoxemia. D. All of the above.