In COPD, the term puffer refers to which physiological feature?

• A. Increased respiratory rate
• B. Sore chest muscles
• C. Frequent coughing
• D. Sleep disturbance

Answer: (A)

In COPD, the “puffer” pattern reflects an increased breathing effort that often shows up as tachypnea, a higher respiratory rate. Air trapping and reduced elastic recoil in COPD make ventilation more laborious, so many patients breathe faster to try to meet the body's oxygen needs and remove CO2. While pursed‑lip breathing (a common coping technique in puffer or pink puffer types) helps keep airways open during expiration, the key physiological feature tied to being a puffer is the elevated breathing rate. The other options—sore chest muscles, frequent coughing, and sleep disturbance—can occur with COPD but do not define the characteristic breathing pattern described by the term puffer.