While auscultating breath sounds of a patient stung by a yellow jacket, you hear bilateral wheezing over all lung fields. This finding indicates:

• A. Increased airway secretions.
• B. Cough with sputum.
• C. Reduced breath sounds.
• D. Narrowing of the bronchioles in the lungs.

Answer: (D)

Bilateral wheezing across all lung fields means the airways are diffusely narrowing, a sign of bronchospasm affecting the bronchioles. In the case of a yellow jacket sting, the body's allergic reaction can release mediators like histamine that cause the small airways to constrict. This reduces airway diameter and raises resistance to airflow, producing that widespread wheezing sound. It’s not primarily about increased secretions or a cough with sputum, and reduced breath sounds would suggest a different pattern or a more severe obstruction. The key idea is that the bronchioles are narrowing, leading to diffuse wheezes.