If a patient's chest barely moves during inhalation, even if the patient's respiratory rate is normal, you should suspect that:

• A. Inspiratory reserve is increased.
• B. Expiratory reserve volume is decreased.
• C. Minute volume is decreased.
• D. Overall tidal volume is increased.

Answer: (C)

Shallow breathing with a normal rate means each breath brings in only a small amount of air. Minute volume is the total air moved in one minute and is calculated as tidal volume (air per breath) times respiratory rate. If the rate stays the same but each breath moves in less air, the overall air moved per minute drops. That’s why the minute volume is decreased.

The other ideas don’t fit this scenario: a larger inspiratory reserve would let you take deeper breaths and expand the chest more, which isn’t happening here; a decreased expiratory reserve affects how much air you can exhale, not how much you inhale per breath; and an increased tidal volume would produce greater chest movement, not only minimal movement.