Lung function tests Flashcards
what is peak expiratory flow?
maximal speed of airflow as the patient exhales in L/min
what does (1) increase or (2) decrease in PEF value reveal
increase:
- lung function is better
decrease:
- lung function has gotten worse
what is FVC (forced vital capacity)
maximal amount of air (L) that a patient can forcibly echale after taking in maximal inhalation
what does a spirometer record and what can it generate
- records:volume of air that is breathed in and out
- generates: tracings of air flow called a pneumotachograph
what 3 things can tracings on a pneumotachograph allow you to observe
- tidal volume
- vital capacity
- flow rate of air movement
what is always bigger, FVCstanding or FVCseated
FVCstanding is always larger than FVseated
what 2 things can high intrathoracic pressure result in and what can this lead to when observing FVCstanding of patients?
- reduced cardiac output
- reduced cerebral blood flow
can lead to patients becoming unsteady on their feet in FVCstanding patients
outline 4 steps of how a spirometer works
Think:
1. water seal
2. Pressure and jar
3. Pen
4. Relationship to pen and volume breathed in and out
- expired gas passes into water seal
- increased pressure causes jar to rise
- movement is then transmitted to a pen
- pen movement is proportional to volume breathed in and out
how is inspiration displayed as on a spirometer pen trace?
it is displayed as an upward deflection
how is expiration displayed as on a spirometer pen trace?
it is displayed as an downward deflection
how do you calculate inspiratory capacity from a spirogram?
Tidal volume (Vt) + Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
how do you calculate functional residual capacity from a spirogram?
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) + residual volume (RV)
what 5 things can forced flow volume measurements show us (FVC and FEV1)
think:
- blowing out
- expelling air from lungs
- treatment
- diases
- age/growth
can show us:
- how much air can the subject blow out
- how fast the air is expelled from lungs
- response to treatment
- progression of disease
- change with age/growth
what 2 things reduce how much air a subject can blow out in forced flow-volume measurements
For second part think narrowing and closure
- restrictive disorders
- airwary narrowing precipitating early airway closure (asthma or CF)
what can a pattern change in flow-volume curve indicate?
can indicate site of obstruction