A nurse is educating a home care client on how to do pursed-lip breathing. What is the therapeutic effect of this procedure?

A. Prolongs expiration to reduce airway resistance: Pursed-lip breathing is a technique that slows exhalation, creating back pressure in the airways. This helps prevent airway collapse, particularly in patients with obstructive pulmonary conditions such as COPD, improves alveolar ventilation, enhances gas exchange, and reduces dyspnea. Prolonged expiration also helps decrease air trapping and promotes more effective ventilation. B. Reduces the need for PRN pain medications: Pursed-lip breathing is not intended to control pain. While relaxation and improved oxygenation may reduce anxiety or discomfort related to dyspnea, it does not have a direct analgesic effect or replace prescribed pain management strategies. C. Uses upper chest muscles more effectively: The technique primarily focuses on controlled diaphragmatic and lip-controlled exhalation rather than emphasizing upper chest muscle activity. Overusing upper chest muscles can increase fatigue and is not the goal of this breathing technique. D. Replaces the use of incentive spirometry: Pursed-lip breathing does not serve the same purpose as incentive spirometry, which promotes deep inhalation to prevent atelectasis. While both improve pulmonary function, pursed-lip breathing specifically targets exhalation and airway patency, not inspiratory lung expansion.