Lung Function Tests & Common Lung Diseases

Question 1

What is meant by a obstructive lung disease?

Answer 1

Obstruction of air flow, especially on expiration

Question 2

What is meant by a restrictive lung disease?

Answer 2

Restriction of lung expansion

Question 3

Name two obstructive lung diseases.

Answer 3

Asthma and COPD

Question 4

Name two diseases which fall under the category of COPD

Answer 4

Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema

Question 5

What is chronic bronchitis?

Answer 5

Inflammation of the bronchi

Question 6

What is emphysema?

Answer 6

Destruction of the alveoli and loss of elasticity

Question 7

List some restrictive lung diseases.

Answer 7

Fibrosis, Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Oedema and Pneumothorax

Question 8

What is fibrosis?

Answer 8

A condition in which formation of excess fibrous connective tissue creates a “stiff” lung

Question 9

Name the two types of fibrosis.

Answer 9

Idiopathic and Abestosis

Question 10

What is the cause of abestosis?

Answer 10

Occupational related like breathing in coal dust.

Question 11

Do restrictive lung diseases impact on inspiration or expiration?

Answer 11

Inspiration

Question 12

Do obstructive lung diseases impact on inspiration or expiration?

Answer 12

Expiration

Question 13

Why would infants have Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome?

Answer 13

If they were born before 36 weeks as insufficient surfactant production, increasing surface tension.

Question 14

What is pulmonary oedema?

Answer 14

Fluid building up around the alveoli.

Question 15

What technique measures lung function?

Answer 15

Spirometry

Question 16

Which two ways can measurements obtained via spirometry be classified?

Answer 16

Static or dynamic.

Question 17

What is meant by a static spirometry measurement?

Answer 17

Only consideration made is the volume exhaled

Question 18

What is meant by a dynamic spirometry measurement?

Answer 18

Time taken to exhale a certain volume is what is being measured

Question 19

List the different things spirometry can measure.

Answer 19

Tidal volume
Inspiratory reserve volume
Expiratory reserve volume
Inspiratory capacity
Vital capacity

Question 20

What does FEV1 refer to?

Answer 20

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second

Question 21

What is the usual FEV1 value for young, fit, healthy males?

Answer 21

4L

Question 22

What does FVC refer to?

Answer 22

Forced vital capacity- total amount of air you can expire over anytime.

Question 23

What is the usual FVC value for young, fit, healthy males?

Answer 23

5L

Question 24

What is the FEV1 to FVC ratio in a healthy male?

Answer 24

80%

(4/5=80%)

Question 25

The values for FEV1 or FVC can vary depending on what?

Answer 25

Age, gender and height

Question 26

What is the normal FEV1 for those with obstructive lung dieases?

Answer 26

1.3

Question 27

What is the normal FVC or those with obstructive lung diseases?

Answer 27

3.1

Question 28

What is the normal ratio for those with obstructive lung diseases?

Answer 28

42%

Question 29

What is the normal FEV1 for those with restrictive lung diseases?

Answer 29

2.8

Question 30

What is the normal FVC for those with restrictive lung diseases?

Answer 30

3.1

Question 31

What is the normal ratio for those with restrictive lung diseases?

Answer 31

90%

Question 32

Why is the ratio in those with restrictive lung diseases normal?

Answer 32

The impact on lung capacity can be huge, meaning there is simply less air to flow (which reduces FEV1) but the air that does flow is not obstructed. As such both FEV1 and FVC reduce in proportion and the ratio remains normal or may even increase.

Question 33

Briefly explain FEV1, FVC and ratio of obstructive diseases.

Answer 33

FEV1 reduced a lot, FVC reduced a little so ratio is reduced a lot.

Question 34

Briefly explain FEV1, FVC and ratio of restrictive diseases.

Answer 34

FEV1 reduced a lot, FVC reduced a lot so ratio unchanged or increases.

Question 35

Why is absolute airflow of restricted diseases reduced?

Answer 35

Lung volume decreased in the first place.