What Is Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV)?
Pulmonary Specialists at Washington Township Medical Foundation
Our pulmonary experts at Washington Township Medical Foundation utilize
a variety of pulmonary tests to find diagnoses for our patients as well
as to gather important information about lung function for other purposes,
such as to determine the efficacy of a chosen medication. Forced expiratory
volume (FEV) is a measurement that tells a doctor how much air a patient
is able to exhale while taking a forced breath.
Your doctor may measure the amount of air during the following seconds
of your forced breath:
- First (FEV1)
- Second (FEV2)
- Third (FEV3)
Forced vital capacity (FVC) is another measurement that details the total amount of air that
an individual is able to exhale in the FEV test. However, forced expiratory
volume is the most important lung function measurement. Both forced expiratory
volume and forced vital capacity are lung function tests that are measured
during spirometry testing.
FEV may be used for a variety of purposes, including:
- Diagnosing obstructive lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) and asthma
- Determining whether or not a pulmonary condition / disease is improving
or worsening
- Determining whether or not a medication being used to improve breathing
is effective