Pulmonary function test abnormalities in pulmonary vascular disease and chronic heart failure.
Diagnostic criteria based on pulmonary function testing for pulmonary vascular disease and CHF are imprecise. Although these tests constitute a necessary part of the work-up of a patient with dyspnea, additional studies are required to obtain a final diagnosis in the setting of cardiopulmonary vascular disease. In contrast, specific pulmonary function tests may offer an objective means of assessing severity of dysfunction resulting from pulmonary hypertension or CHE Serial measurements of pulmonary function offer insight into general and specific patterns of cardiopulmonary vascular disease and are useful in evaluating response to treatment.
Waxman
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Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA. awaxman@lifespan.org
D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D013147:Spirometry