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Q75 - Distinguishing Obstructive and Restrictive Patterns on a Flow-Volume Loop

Theoretical B Real exam question - full text reproduced under IBO's CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
Respiratory Physiology

In a simple way, respiratory disorders can be classified as obstructive or restrictive disorders. Obstructive disorders are characterized by a reduction in the airflow rate in the respiratory tracts. Restrictive disorders are characterized by a reduction of lung volume.

Figure Q.75 shows the shapes of the flow-volume loops measured during forced inspiration and forced expiration in healthy people with normal respiratory function and in four patients suffering from four common types of respiratory disorders (Type 1 through Type 4).

Figure Q.75

Figure 1. Figure 1.

Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.

A. The blood pH of a patient with Type 1 is higher than that of healthy people.
B. The time of the forced inhalation of patient with Type 2 is shorter than that of healthy people.
C. A patient with Type 3 displays a higher breathing rate than healthy people.
D. Residual volume in a patient with Type 4 is higher than that of healthy people.
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Question reproduced from IBO 2016, Theoretical Paper B, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Community solutions (unofficial)