What is a common respiratory issue in asthma patients during an attack?

Shortness of breath is a hallmark symptom during an asthma attack. Asthma is characterized by the inflammation and constriction of the airways, leading to difficulty in breathing. This symptom can vary in severity, with patients experiencing anything from mild breathlessness to a life-threatening inability to breathe. During an asthma attack, the air passages become narrow due to muscle tightening, and this can result in a feeling of chest tightness and an increased work of breathing, contributing to the sensation of shortness of breath.

The other options such as decreased lung sounds, hyper-resonance upon percussion, and fluid accumulation in the lungs involve different clinical scenarios. Decreased lung sounds may be associated with conditions like respiratory failure or significant obstruction but not specifically in the context of an active asthma attack. Hyper-resonance is typically associated with conditions like pneumothorax or emphysema rather than asthma, and fluid accumulation in the lungs is more indicative of conditions like heart failure or pneumonia, not asthma. Thus, shortness of breath stands out as the most common and significant issue during an asthma attack.