barrelchested

Barrelchested is an adjective describing a chest that has a barrel-like shape, typically wide and rounded with an increased anteroposterior diameter. The term is often written as barrel-chested in more formal or older medical literature, but barrelchested is also encountered in various texts.

In medical contexts, a barrel-shaped chest is most commonly associated with chronic lung hyperinflation, such as in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema. It can also appear with long-standing asthma, cystic fibrosis, or other conditions that overinflate the lungs, as well as in some older adults due to age-related changes in chest wall mechanics. The appearance is characterized by a more spherical or circular thorax, with ribs that may appear more horizontal and a chest wall that seems rounded.

Clinical assessment may reveal an increased anterior-posterior chest diameter, reduced chest wall excursion, and sometimes hyperresonant percussion. Imaging, such as chest radiography or CT, often shows hyperinflated lungs and flattened diaphragms.

Barrelchested is primarily a descriptive finding rather than a diagnosis. Its presence should prompt evaluation for underlying causes, especially obstructive lung diseases. Management targets the underlying condition and may include smoking cessation, bronchodilator therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and other disease-specific treatments. In non-medical contexts, the term may describe a robust or physically prominent chest, but modern usage tends to emphasize the descriptive, anatomical aspect of the chest shape.