NBCE Exam 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners

In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a typical finding is wheezing on expiration. This occurs due to airway obstruction that is characteristic of COPD, which includes conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The narrowing and inflammation of the airways lead to turbulent airflow, resulting in a wheezing sound as the patient exhales.

This wheezing is particularly noted during expiration because of the increased resistance in the airways, making it more difficult for air to be expelled from the lungs. It's important to recognize that wheezing can vary based on the severity of the disease and the specific condition of the patient.

Other possible findings in COPD might include decreased breath sounds due to poor air movement or hyperinflation of the lungs, but these are less direct indicators than wheezing. The presence of clubbing of the fingers is generally associated with chronic hypoxia or other lung conditions, but not typically with COPD. Crackles may be heard in various lung conditions, but they are more indicative of fluid in the airways, which is not a primary characteristic of COPD. Therefore, the presence of wheezing on expiration is a classic and notable finding associated with COPD.