Which physiological change is commonly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive airflow limitation, which is primarily due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways. One of the significant physiological changes seen in patients with COPD is increased airway resistance. This increase in resistance occurs because of various factors, including bronchoconstriction, mucus production, and structural changes to the airways, leading to obstruction during expiration in particular.

As a result of increased airway resistance, patients with COPD often experience difficulty in breathing, decreased airflow, and trapped air, which contributes to hyperinflation of the lungs and may affect gas exchange efficiency. Unlike healthy individuals, those with COPD are unable to rapidly expel air from their lungs, which leads to the characteristic symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chronic cough.

Other physiological aspects associated with COPD include increased lung compliance due to air trapping, but the main defining feature affecting their condition remains the increased airway resistance.