Emphysema - Breath Sounds: which is commonly heard during dyspnea?

• A. Crackles
• B. Stridor
• C. Absent breath sounds
• D. Wheezing

Answer: (D)

Breath sounds during dyspnea in emphysema reflect airflow through narrowed airways. The common finding is a wheeze—a high-pitched whistling sound caused by turbulent flow through constricted bronchioles, especially as expiration slows and air encounters obstruction. Emphysema often features airway narrowing and mucus buildup, which produces this wheezing during episodes of shortness of breath. Other sounds point to different problems—crackles suggest fluid in the lungs, stridor indicates an upper airway obstruction, and absent breath sounds can occur with severe blockage or collapse—but wheezing best fits the obstructive changes seen in emphysema during dyspnea.