Question

If a client sleeps with 2-3 pillows and often awakes due to difficulty breathing at night, what would you expect?

a. Orthopnea
b. Bradypnea
c. Tachypnea
d. Apnea

Answer 1

The client's use of multiple pillows to sleep and frequent awakenings due to difficulty breathing likely indicate orthopnea or more specifically, obstructive sleep apnea, which involves physical blockage of the airway.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a client sleeps with 2-3 pillows and often awakes due to difficulty breathing at night, the expected condition would likely be orthopnea. Orthopnea is a symptom often associated with difficulty breathing when lying flat, and using multiple pillows to elevate the head can be suggestive of this condition which is often related to heart or lung problems. However, given the context of the question and the potential relevance of the symptom to sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep apnea may also be a possible expectation.

In particular, the repeated awakenings at night due to difficulty in breathing are indicative of obstructive sleep apnea, where the airway becomes physically blocked.