Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

Which physiological process does NOT occur in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

1. Increased surfactant production

2. Reduced airflow

3. Chronic inflammation

4. Gradual worsening of respiratory function

The correct answer is: Increased surfactant production

In patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the primary physiological issues revolve around obstructed airflow, chronic inflammation of the airways, and a gradual decline in respiratory function. Increased surfactant production, however, does not typically occur as a response in COPD. Surfactant is a substance that helps to reduce surface tension in the alveoli, making it easier for the lungs to expand during inhalation. In conditions like pneumonia or certain types of lung injury, surfactant production may be upregulated to counteract challenges with lung compliance. However, in COPD, there is usually an imbalance in surfactant due to emphysema or chronic bronchitis, leading to inadequate surfactant levels rather than an increase. Consequently, while patients with COPD experience reduced airflow due to bronchial obstruction, chronic inflammation that causes airway remodeling, and a consistent decline in their respiratory function over time, the process of increased surfactant production is not characteristic of this disease. This is why the answer highlights that the other options represent actual physiological processes associated with COPD.