Pathophysiology of Asthma Exacerbation

A 35-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing. He has a history of asthma and reports having increased his use of his albuterol inhaler over the past week. The patient is anxious and appears to be in moderate respiratory distress. Vital signs reveal a heart rate of 110 beats/min, respiratory rate of 24 breaths/min, and an oxygen saturation of 88% on room air.

As the nurse, you are tasked with understanding the possible pathophysiological changes contributing to this patient’s condition. Select all that apply from the options below that correctly identify pathophysiological concepts associated with asthma exacerbation.