Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

What is a common indicator of asthma?

1. Clubbing nails

2. Peripheral edema

3. Fever

4. Accessory muscle use

The correct answer is: Accessory muscle use

Accessory muscle use is a common indicator of asthma. During an asthma attack, the airways narrow, making it difficult for the person to breathe. As a result, the body may recruit additional muscles to assist with breathing, particularly the muscles located in the neck and shoulders. This increased effort to breathe often manifests as noticeable movement of these muscles during inspiration and expiration, indicating respiratory distress. Clubbing nails, on the other hand, is typically associated with chronic respiratory issues or other systemic conditions and not specifically indicative of asthma. Peripheral edema may suggest heart failure or other fluid retention conditions, and fever is often associated with infections rather than asthma exacerbations. Thus, the presence of accessory muscle use serves as a more direct and common sign of the respiratory struggle encountered during asthma episodes.