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Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is a complete evaluation of the respiratory system including patient history, physical examinations, and tests of pulmonary function. The primary purpose of pulmonary function testing is to identify the severity of pulmonary impairment. [1]
Spirometry (meaning the measuring of breath) is the most common of the pulmonary function tests (PFTs). It measures lung function, specifically the amount (volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled.
Lung volumes. Functional residual capacity (FRC) is the volume of air present in the lungs at the end of passive expiration. [1] At FRC, the opposing elastic recoil forces of the lungs and chest wall are in equilibrium and there is no exertion by the diaphragm or other respiratory muscles.
Global efforts were made in the early twentieth century to standardize these sources to enable proper diagnosis and accurate evaluation of pulmonary function. However, rather than further aiming to understand the causes of such variations, the primary approach for dealing with observed differences in lung capacity has been to "correct for" them.
An initial spirometry is performed to assess the patient's native respiratory status. The patient will be asked to take a deep breath and then blow into the mouthpiece of the spirometer as hard as you can. This is a baseline measurement.
The peak expiratory flow (PEF), also called peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and peak flow measurement, [1] is a person's maximum speed of expiration, as measured with a peak flow meter, a small, hand-held device used to monitor a person's ability to breathe out air.
Output of a spirometer. Vital capacity (VC) is the maximum amount of air a person can expel from the lungs after a maximum inhalation.It is equal to the sum of inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume, and expiratory reserve volume.
The book is available for purchase as a book or CD, and can be downloaded as a PDF for free. [2] Its distribution is worldwide. In Uzbekistan, a United States Agency for International Development grant enabled a team under Dr. Donald Elsworth and Robert Graves of Central Asian Free Exchange to translate the book into Uzbek. [3]