Pulmonary Function Tests Flashcards

1
Q

List some indications for PFTs

A
  • to assess disease in a pt with risk factors
  • to evaluate symptoms in chronic disease
  • to assess bronchodilator therapy effectiveness
  • to assess effects of occupational exposure
  • to assess risk prior to surgery (upper abdominal or thoracic)
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2
Q

List a few contraindications to PFTs

A
  • severe debilitation
  • mod-severe resp disease
  • pt not able/willing to provide full effort
  • young kids (less than 5)
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3
Q

What does a PFT tell you

A
  • if there is lung pathology
  • severity of lung dysfunction
  • is a treatment working
  • has a disease progressed
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4
Q

List a few things that a PFT can help diagnose

A
  • asthma
  • COPD
  • differentiate obstructive vs restrictive patterns
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5
Q

Define an obstructive pattern

A

difficulty getting air out of the resp system (typically occurs in smaller airways)
- FBA, tumor, chronic mucus, CF, airway thickening, etc

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6
Q

Define a restrictive pattern

A

volume capacity and difficulty getting air in
- ILD, stiff chest, resp muscle weakness

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7
Q

What is pulse oximetry for

A

asses available oxyhemoglobin in a patient

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8
Q

What does a peak flow meter do

A

helps define the capacity to expel air from the lungs
- measures maximum speed of expiration
- can be used by pt, usually to follow asthma triggers

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9
Q

Define total lung capacity

A

volume of lung for all phases of respiration

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10
Q

Define tidal volume

A

lung volume representing the normal volume of air displaced between normal resting inhalation/exhalation

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11
Q

Define reserve volume

A

additional air that can be forcibly inhaled or exhaled after normal tidal volume

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12
Q

define residual volume

A

amount of air remaining in the lungs after full expiration (can’t be directly measured)

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13
Q

define vital capacity

A

amount of air that can be forcibly inhaled and exhaled

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14
Q

Define Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1)

A

max volume of air that can be exhaled in the first second of a forced exhalation following inspiration (expressed in liters)

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15
Q

Define FEV1/FVC

A

calculated ratio that helps differentiate obstructive and restrictive patterns

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16
Q

Define forced vital capacity

A

total volume of gas that can be forcefully exhaled after a full inspiration (liters/second)

17
Q

Define spirometry

A
  • measures exhaled/inhaled volumes
  • follow effectiveness of asthma/COPD management
18
Q

What is normal FVC

19
Q

What FVC shows a restrictive pattern

A

<80%

can be reduced by suboptimal pt effort, airflow limitation, neuromuscular process, restrictive lung dz

20
Q

what is the most important spirometry variable for assessing severity of disease

21
Q

What is the normal FEV1/FVC ratio for adults vs kids

A

Adults: >70%

Kids: >85%

22
Q

What FEV1/FVC ratio indicates an obstructive pattern

23
Q

what is this pattern

24
Q

what is this pattern

A

obstructive

25
What is this pattern
fixed obstruction (chest wall injury)
26
What is this pattern
variable extrathoracic
27
What is this pattern
variable intrathoracic (pneumothorax)
28
what is this pattern
restrictive
29
define diffusing capacity (DLCO)
- measure of a single breath to evaluate obstruction/restriction severity - low DLCO indicates oxygen therapy - IP or occupational - not used in COPD following
30
What is a normal DLCO measure
20-30 ml/mn/mmHg
31
What may a low DLCO indicate
- emphysema - bronchiectasis - ILD - pulmonary vascular disease - neuromuscular dz
32
What does a high DLCO indicate
- polycythemia - pulmonary hemorrhage - exercise, L to R cardiac shunting - maybe asthma, bronchitis, obesity
33
An increase in FEV1 by more than what indicates a reversible pattern when given a bronchodilator
12%