Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

A patient presenting with shortness of breath and a productive cough is most likely experiencing which condition?

1. Congestive heart failure

2. Pneumonia

3. Bronchitis

4. Asthma

The correct answer is: Bronchitis

The scenario describes a patient with shortness of breath and a productive cough, which are key symptoms that align closely with bronchitis. Bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the air passages in the lungs, often leading to increased mucus production. This can cause coughing that brings up mucus, along with difficulty in breathing due to the narrowed airways. In cases of acute bronchitis, symptoms are typically caused by a viral infection but can also be of bacterial origin. The productive cough is particularly significant, as individuals with bronchitis often experience this symptom due to the excess mucus being produced. While other conditions listed, such as pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and asthma, can also present with shortness of breath and cough, the productive nature of the cough here particularly points towards bronchitis. A productive cough is less common in asthma, which usually presents with wheezing and shortness of breath without significant sputum production. Pneumonia can cause cough as well, but it generally presents with more systemic symptoms like fever and chills, and the cough is often not exclusively productive. Congestive heart failure may cause shortness of breath but typically manifests with a dry cough and is associated with signs such as edema and may not as frequently present with a productive