Advanced Patient Assessment Practice Exam

What clinical problem is indicated by nasal flaring?

1. Increased lung compliance

2. Increased dead space ventilation

3. Hypoxemia

4. Increased work of breathing

The correct answer is: Increased work of breathing

Nasal flaring is a clinical sign that indicates increased work of breathing, particularly in infants and young children, but it can also occur in adults experiencing respiratory distress. When a patient has difficulty breathing, their respiratory muscles must work harder to draw air into the lungs. Nasal flaring serves as an adaptive mechanism, as it enlarges the nasal passages, potentially helping to reduce airway resistance and facilitate airflow. When examining respiratory conditions, nasal flaring typically suggests that the body is responding to inadequate oxygenation or ventilation, causing the individual to increase their respiratory effort. In this context, the higher work of breathing can be necessitated by conditions such as asthma exacerbations, pneumonia, or other respiratory distress scenarios. The other options do not accurately align with the clinical implication of nasal flaring. Increased lung compliance would generally refer to conditions like emphysema, where the lungs are more flexible, leading to easier but less effective breathing. Increased dead space ventilation pertains to areas of the lung that do not participate in gas exchange, which does not directly relate to nasal flaring. Hypoxemia indicates low oxygen levels in the blood but is more related to oxygenation status rather than the mechanical effort of breathing itself.