Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a symptom of emphysema?

1. Productive cough

2. Thin barrel chest

3. Pursed lips

4. Tachypnea

The correct answer is: Productive cough

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs, leading to difficulty in breathing. The symptoms typically associated with emphysema include shortness of breath, a thin barrel-shaped chest, pursed-lip breathing as a strategy to improve airflow, and tachypnea, which is a rapid respiratory rate. A productive cough, however, is generally not a symptom of emphysema. Instead, this symptom is more commonly associated with chronic bronchitis, another type of COPD, where mucus production is elevated, leading to a cough that brings up phlegm. In emphysema, the damage to the alveoli does not typically result in the production of mucus in the same way, thus making a productive cough an uncommon symptom for patients suffering from this condition. Understanding these differences in symptoms allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment plans, highlighting the lack of a productive cough as a significant differentiator between emphysema and other respiratory conditions like chronic bronchitis.