Answer :
Final answer:
Decreased ventilatory compliance indicates that the lungs are more difficult to inflate, commonly due to conditions that stiffen the lungs. This results in ventilations that are not effective, as air does not adequately enter the lungs despite sufficient effort.
Explanation:
When ventilating an apneic patient, noting decreased ventilatory compliance indicates that the lungs and chest wall are less stretchable or more difficult to inflate. This situation often arises due to conditions that stiffen the lungs, such as fibrosis, or due to other factors that make it more challenging to move air in and out of the lungs. Decreased compliance means the ventilations may not be as effective because the lungs do not expand as expected in response to your efforts, leading to inadequate air entering the lungs.
Therefore, the correct answer here would be: C) Ventilations are not effective. This implies that despite the application of normal pressure, the lungs are not inflating adequately, which may be due to the increased elastance or stiffness of the lung tissue. In this scenario, chest rise may not be exaggerated; instead it may be diminished due to the decreased compliance.
