Which condition is characterized by wheezing and chest tightness?

The condition characterized by wheezing and chest tightness is asthma, particularly during an asthma attack. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that leads to episodic airflow obstruction. During an asthma attack, the airways become inflamed and narrowed due to factors like allergens, exercise, or irritants, causing symptoms such as wheezing (a high-pitched whistling sound during breathing) and chest tightness (a feeling of constriction or pressure in the chest).

In contrast, while bronchitis may cause coughing and mucus production, it does not typically present with the wheezing and chest tightness that is hallmark to asthma. Pneumonia primarily involves symptoms like cough and fever and tends to affect the lung tissue rather than causing wheezing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, can cause wheezing and tightness, but those symptoms are often more persistent and related to long-term airflow obstruction rather than the sudden episodes seen in asthma. Therefore, the distinct combination of wheezing and chest tightness clearly indicates that the correct answer is an asthma attack.