This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Lung function tests

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Lung function tests are used for the following reasons:

  • to diagnose respiratory impairment
  • to quantify the severity of any impairment

There are four functional divisions of the respiratory system which can be analysed by pulmonary function tests:

  • airways:
    • diseases of the airways may increase resistance to air flow

  • alveoli:
    • diseases of the alveoli reduce gas exchange

  • thoracic wall - the respiratory pump:
    • including the ribs, muscles of respiration, diaphragm

  • neurological control system:
    • the depth and rate of breathing is determined in the brain

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.