A patient demonstrates sharp decrease of pulmonary surfactant activity. This condition can result in:

Answer options

1. Decreased work of expiratory muscles
2. Hyperoxemia
3. Increased pulmonary ventilation
4. Decreased airways resistance
5. Alveolar tendency to recede

Explanation

Pulmonary surfactant is a mixture of lipids and proteins which is secreted into the alveolar space by epithelial type II cells. The main function of surfactant is to lower the surface tension at the air/liquid interface within the alveoli of the lung Without normal surfactant, the tissue surrounding the air sacs in the lungs (the alveoli) sticks together (because of a force called surface tension) after exhalation, causing the alveoli to collapse.