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CARDIO & RESPIRATORY - BRS > Pulmonary Function Tests > Flashcards

Pulmonary Function Tests Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two main types of respiratory disorders?

A

Obstructive and Restrictive

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2
Q

What are restrictive disorders?

A

Extra-airways disorders which restrict the ability of the lungs to entirely fill with oxygen

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3
Q

What are obstructive disorders?

A

Airways diseases which are associated with obstructed airflow

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4
Q

what is the Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)?

A

the maximum amount of air which you can forcibly exhale from your lungs after fulling inhaling

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5
Q

what does FVC stand for?

A

The forced vital capacity

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6
Q

On a flow volume loop, which direction is exhalation?

A

expiration = going up

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7
Q

On a flow volume loop, which direction is inhalation?

A

inspiration = Going down

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8
Q

How do you calculate the vital capacity from a flow volume loop?

A

The difference between the two places the loop crosses the x axis

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9
Q

what is the tidal volume?

A

The amount of air inhaled and exhaled per breath

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10
Q

What does PEF stand for

A

Peak Expiratory Flow

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11
Q

what piece of equipment measures peak respiratory flow rate

A

peak flow meter

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12
Q

What is PEF?

A

the maximum flow rate - peak of the flow loop

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13
Q

What are 4 reasons which spirometric pulmonary function tests might be undertaken?

A
  1. Evaluate symptoms eg breathlessness
  2. Monitor the progression of a lung disease over time
  3. Monitor the efficacy of the treatment
  4. Use it as a screening tool in the absence of sympoms
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14
Q

Describe how a flow volume loop would look for a patient with Mild Obstructive disease?

A

Reduced FVC, Coving of the exhalation curve

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15
Q

What are the major disadvantages of the spirometric pulmonary function tests?

A

Heavy reliance on technique and can be rather uncomfortable for patients which reduces their motivation to apply maximum effort

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16
Q

What does a flow volume loop look like for a patient with severe obstructive disease? - 3

A

Reduced FVC
Indented exhalation Curve
Reduced Peak Expiratory Flow

17
Q

What does a flow volume loop like for patients with a restrictive disease? - 2

A

Reduced FVC
Narrow Curve

18
Q

What does the Flow Volume Curve loop like for someone with a variable extrathoracic obstruction?

A

Blunted inspiratory curve

Otherwise normal

19
Q

What does the Flow Volume Curve loop like for someone with a variable intrathoracic obstruction?

A

Blunted Expiratory Curve

Otherwise normal

20
Q

What does the Flow Volume Curve loop like for someone with a fixed airway obstruction?

A

Blunted inspiratory cure
Blunted expiratory curve
Otherwise normal

21
Q

How do work out the PEF from a flow volume loop

A

Highest observed y value

22
Q

How to calculate the FEV1 from a spirometer pulmonary test?

A

Read the Y value from X=1 second

23
Q

How to calculate the Peak Expiratory Flow Rate on spirometer graph?

A

Read up from x=0.2 seconds and multiply by 300 for L/minute

24
Q

What does a spirometer curve look like in a obstructive disease?

A

Low Peak Expiratory Flow and FVC/FEV1 ration, and small FVC

25
Q

Why does an obstructive condition result in a shall spirometer curve?

A

Severe airflow limitation caused by narrowing of the medium and small airways
Respiratory muscle weakness and increased lung compliance may contribute to the reduced ability of the lungs to generate the pressure required to clear the lungs quickly

26
Q

Why might there be a wavy airflow pattern after a certain period of time despite having normal airflow?

A

Patients may be unable to hold the expiration further - manifestation of the Hering-Breuer reflex where afferent signals from the airways lead to simulation of inspiration and cessation of expiratory muscle force

27
Q

What are some causes of extra-pulmonary restrictive diseases?

A

Obesity, Pneumoconiosis, Pulmonary fibrosis and severe burns

28
Q

in Spirometry-Volume time curves, what is on the X axis

A

time (seconds)

29
Q

in Spirometry-Volume time curves, what is on the Y axis

A

Volume (Litres)

30
Q

what is FEV1

A

forced expiratory volume in 1 second

31
Q

how to calculate FEV1 to FVC ratio

A

FEV1/FVC

32
Q

what limitation, expiratory or inspiratory does intrathoracic obstruction cause

A

creates expiratory limitation

33
Q

what limitation, expiratory or inspiratory does extrathoracic obstruction cause

A

creates inspiratory limitation

34
Q

what is a variable obstruction?

A

obstruction that responds to pressure changes, eliciting varying degrees of obstruction during the respiratory cycle

CARDIO & RESPIRATORY - BRS (28 decks)

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