A patient exhibits increased total lung capacity and decreased FEV-1. This is indicative of which condition?

The scenario described indicates an increase in total lung capacity (TLC) coupled with a decrease in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1), suggesting a specific type of respiratory condition. In chronic emphysema, which is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the destruction of the alveolar walls leads to increased compliance of the lungs. This increased compliance means that the lungs can hold more air, resulting in an elevated total lung capacity.

However, the loss of elastic recoil in emphysema also causes airflow limitation, which is reflected in the reduced FEV-1. This combination of increased total lung capacity and decreased FEV-1 is characteristic of obstructive lung diseases, particularly in the case of emphysema due to the specific changes in lung structure.

Chronic bronchitis, while also an obstructive lung disease, presents with a different pattern typically not associated with such a significant increase in total lung capacity as seen in emphysema. Asthma may cause similar reductions in FEV-1 during an exacerbation, but typically does not show the same increase in total lung capacity unless there is a prolonged obstruction or hyperinflation. Pneumonia is primarily an infectious process that leads to consolidation in the