More than 100,000 Americans die each year from chronic bronchitis, emphysema and other chronic obstructive lung diseases. Many of these deaths could be prevented if physicians included a simple breathing test as part of each routine checkup.
Many people don't realize that lung damage caused by smoking generally occurs gradually over many years. By the time a person experiences symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing, significant lung damage may have already occurred. By documenting yearly lung function testing results, and noting whether the lung function is decreasing at an abnormal rate, the individual may be convinced to quit smoking at a younger age.
Lung Function tests (also called pulmonary function tests, or PFTs) evaluate how well your lungs work. The tests determine how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs, and how well your lungs add oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from your blood. The tests can diagnose lung diseases and measure the severity of lung problems.
