A 60-year-old female with a 25-year history of smoking is diagnosed with emphysema. she has an increased anterior-posterior chest diameter. the nurse attributes this finding to

The nurse attributes this finding to air trapping. Air trapping makes it hard for individuals to exhale. Air in the lungs of the 60 year old must still be present, this is what causes air trapping. People who smoke a lot have a high chance of being diagnosed with emphysema.