Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following is an indicator of chronic bronchitis?

1. Presence of crackles

2. Presence of wheezing

3. Presence of rhonchi

4. All of the above

The correct answer is: All of the above

Chronic bronchitis is characterized by a long-term cough that produces mucus, and it is one of the conditions included under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In patients with chronic bronchitis, you may observe several acoustic signs during auscultation of the lungs. The presence of crackles, wheezing, and rhonchi are all indicative of respiratory conditions and can occur in chronic bronchitis. Crackles, often described as a series of short, explosive sounds, may be heard during inhalation as air moves into the small airways that may be filled with fluid or mucus. Wheezing is typically a high-pitched sound heard primarily during expiration, resulting from narrowed air passages. Rhonchi are deeper, rumbling sounds produced by the movement of air through obstructed larger airways, associated with excess mucous production. In chronic bronchitis, the inflammation and excessive mucus can cause all of these auscultatory findings. Therefore, the inclusion of all such sounds as indicators of chronic bronchitis reflects the comprehensive impact of the disease on the respiratory system, leading to various abnormal lung sounds as the air struggles to flow through narrowed or obstructed airways. This is why recognizing that all of the provided signs can indicate chronic bronch