IGNOU PB. Bsc. Nsg. Entrance-2025
Nursing Foundation
Easy
The term that best describes shortness of breath in a client on lying down, and relieved on sitting or standing up position is:
Appeared in: IGNOU PB. Bsc. Nsg. Entrance-2025
Explanation
- Orthopnea is the medical term for shortness of breath (dyspnea) that specifically occurs when a person is lying in a recumbent position.
- This symptom is a classic sign of conditions that cause fluid overload, most notably congestive heart failure (CHF).
- The mechanism involves the redistribution of fluid from the abdomen and lower extremities into the chest when lying flat, which increases pulmonary congestion.
- The breathlessness is characteristically relieved when the person sits or stands up, as gravity helps to shift the fluid away from the lungs.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: Dyspnea is a general term for the subjective sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing. While orthopnea is a type of dyspnea, the question provides a specific positional context that is best described by a more precise term.
- Option C: Hyperpnea refers to an increased depth and rate of breathing. It is a change in the pattern of ventilation, not breathlessness triggered by position.
- Option D: Acapnea is a physiological state meaning the absence or a very low level of carbon dioxide in the blood. It is not a symptom a patient would report.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Respiratory Assessment: Terminology for Breathing Patterns as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- A key nursing assessment for orthopnea is asking the patient how many pillows they use to sleep comfortably at night (e.g., 'two-pillow orthopnea' or 'three-pillow orthopnea'). This helps quantify the severity of the condition.
- Orthopnea is a hallmark sign of left-sided heart failure and fluid overload. Its presence should prompt a focused cardiopulmonary assessment and may require interventions like elevating the head of the bed and administering prescribed diuretics.
- What if? If the patient reports waking up suddenly at night gasping for air, about 1-2 hours after falling asleep, this is more specifically termed Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND). PND is also a sign of advanced heart failure and is considered more severe than orthopnea.
How to Approach the Question
- First, analyze the question stem to identify the key defining characteristics of the symptom. The keywords are 'shortness of breath', 'on lying down', and 'relieved on sitting or standing'.
- Recognize that this description points to a positional component of breathlessness.
- Next, evaluate each option against this specific definition.
- Eliminate 'dyspnea' as it is a general term and less precise than what is described.
- Eliminate 'hyperpnea' and 'acapnea' as they relate to the rate/depth of breathing and CO2 levels, respectively, not the patient's position.
- Select 'orthopnea' as it is the exact medical term for shortness of breath that is dependent on a recumbent position.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Respiratory Assessment: Terminology for Breathing Patterns
- Stem keywords: shortness of breath, lying down, relieved, sitting or standing up
- Lead-in keywords: term that best describes
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
Q_3LN65iLVu_uOqFjW5Lti
Reference Book
E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 2023-2025
E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 4 p. 239-241
Practise the full IGNOU PB. Bsc. Nsg. Entrance-2025
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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