Breathe Easy with the 2025 Lippincott Respiratory Practice Exam – Ace Your Test and Inhale Success!

The main types of obstructive lung diseases primarily include asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. These conditions are characterized by airflow limitation, which is usually worsening over time due to various factors such as inflammation, mucus production, and structural changes in the airways.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that causes episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. The obstruction can be reversible, which is a hallmark of asthma compared to other obstructive lung diseases.

Chronic bronchitis involves the inflammation of the bronchial tubes, leading to excessive mucus production and a daily cough. This condition is often a result of long-term exposure to irritants like tobacco smoke and is characterized by a productive cough, which further contributes to airflow obstruction.

Emphysema is a disease that causes damage to the alveoli (the air sacs in the lungs) and leads to reduced elastic recoil, which can result in airflow obstruction due to the loss of supporting structures around the airways. This damage typically stems from long-term exposure to irritants.

The presence of these three conditions (asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema) as the main types of obstructive lung diseases is well-established in medical literature