A nurse is caring for a client with asthma. Which of the following happens physiologically when bronchospasm occurs?

The question focuses on the pathophysiology of an asthma exacerbation. Understanding the mechanisms of airway hyperresponsiveness, including smooth muscle contraction and the inflammatory cascade, is essential to explain what happens during a bronchospasm and subsequent airway obstruction. Choice A rationale . During an asthma attack, triggers cause the smooth muscles around the bronchi to contract. This bronchospasm, combined with mucosal edema and the secretion of thick mucus, severely narrows the airway lumen, making it difficult for air to pass. Choice B rationale . Airway obstruction in asthma is actually caused by the thickening and increased viscosity of mucus, not thinning. This thick mucus creates plugs that further block the narrowed bronchioles, trapping air in the alveoli and causing significant respiratory distress. Choice C rationale . Asthma involves an increase in mucus production, not a decrease. The goblet cells in the airway epithelium overproduce mucus in response to inflammatory mediators, which exacerbates the constriction caused by the contraction of the bronchial smooth muscles. Choice D rationale . Inflammation is actually increased during bronchospasm, which leads to a decrease in airway diameter. The narrowed passages increase resistance to airflow, necessitating higher pressures to breathe, which characterizes the clinical presentation of an acute asthma exacerbation.