Which condition is characterized by intermittent episodes of airway obstruction caused by bronchospasm?

The condition characterized by intermittent episodes of airway obstruction due to bronchospasm is asthma. This chronic inflammatory disease of the airways leads to acute episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. These episodes are often triggered by various factors, including allergens, exercise, cold air, and respiratory infections. The bronchospasm results from the contraction of smooth muscles surrounding the airways, causing narrowing and leading to difficulties in breathing.

In contrast, atelectasis refers to the collapse of lung tissue, limiting gas exchange, rather than being caused by bronchospasm or chronic inflammation. Acute bronchitis involves inflammation of the bronchial tubes usually due to infection, often leading to cough and mucus production, but does not typically cause the same type of bronchospasm seen in asthma. Emphysema, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), causes damage to the alveoli, leading to difficulty in breathing, but it does not present with the same episodic bronchospasm characteristic of asthma. Thus, asthma is uniquely defined by its intermittent airway obstruction due to bronchospasm.