Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Certification Practice Exam

Which of these is NOT a common symptom associated with emphysema?

1. Thin barrel chest

2. Weight gain

3. Pursed lips

4. Tachypnea

The correct answer is: Weight gain

Weight gain is not a common symptom associated with emphysema. Emphysema, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), typically leads to a loss of lung function and capacity, which often results in weight loss due to the increased work of breathing and decreased appetite. Patients with emphysema generally have a thin, barrel-shaped chest due to trapped air in the lungs, and they often exhibit pursed-lip breathing as a compensatory mechanism to aid in exhalation and improve airflow. Tachypnea, or rapid breathing, is also a characteristic symptom, reflecting the body’s effort to increase oxygen intake as lung function declines. Thus, weight gain does not align with the typical presentations seen in patients with emphysema, which is why it is not associated with this condition.