CURRENT CONCEPTS - PULMONARY-FUNCTION TESTING

Pulmonary-function tests provide objective, quantifiable measures of lung function. They are used to evaluate and monitor diseases that affect heart and lung function, to monitor the effects of environmental, occupational, and drug exposures, to assess risks of surgery, and to assist in evaluations performed before employment or for insurance purposes. The indications for pulmonary-function tests are summarized in Table 1. Spirometric examination, the most widely used such test, is the focus of this paper. Spirometry is the measurement of the movement of air into and out of the lungs during various breathing maneuvers. Such examinations should be readily available and routinely. © 1994, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.