Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Basic Certification Practice Exam

Which of the following conditions is least likely to cause rhonchi?

1. Pneumonia

2. Asthma

3. Chronic bronchitis

4. Emphysema

The correct answer is: Asthma

Rhonchi are low-pitched, rattling sounds during breathing, often associated with partial obstruction of the airways due to secretions or inflammation. While asthma can produce wheezing and some abnormal lung sounds, it is primarily characterized by bronchoconstriction and airway inflammation leading to a more uniform high-pitched wheezing sound rather than the lower-pitched rhonchi. Pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema typically produce rhonchi due to the presence of mucus or fluid in the airways. In conditions like pneumonia, the influx of fluid into the lung's alveoli can contribute to abnormal lung sounds. Chronic bronchitis involves inflammation and increased mucus production, leading to rhonchi as well. Emphysema can lead to airway collapse and obstruction, which often generates these sounds. Therefore, asthma is the condition that is least associated with rhonchi and is more commonly linked to wheezing due to its pathophysiology involving bronchospasm rather than airway secretions.