JAAS

Absent or decreased breath sounds can mean: Air or fluid in the lungs: Such as pneumonia, pleural effusion, or heart failure Thickened chest wall Over-inflated lungs: Such as emphysema Reduced airflow: Such as asthma flare-ups Weak sound generation Impaired transmission Shallow breathing Airway obstruction Obesity Occasionally, nurses document their assessment as decreased breath sounds. It is so vague. It doesn't say anything. You need to explain why there is a decrease in the breath sounds. It might be due to atelectasis, an emergency condition in which a physical exam may reveal decreased or absent breath sounds over the affected area.