It helps prevent early airway collapse-pursed-lip breathing helps prevent early airway collapse. learning this technique helps the client control respiration during periods of excitement, anxiety, exercise, and respiratory distress. to increase inspiratory muscle strength and endurance, the client may need to learn inspiratory resistive breathing. to decrease accessory muscle use and thus reduce the work of breathing, the client may need to learn diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing. in pursed-lip breathing, the client mimics a normal inspiratory-expiratory (i:e) ratio of 1:2. (a client with emphysema may have an i:e ratio as high as 1:4.)
