- To evaluate symptoms,
signs, or abnormal laboratory tests
- Symptoms: dyspnea,
wheezing, orthopnea, cough, phlegm production, chest pain
- Signs: diminished
breath sounds, overinflation, expiratory slowing, cyanosis, chest
deformitory, unexplained crackles
- Abnormal laboratory
tests: hypoxemia, hypercapnia, polycythemia, abnormal chest radiographs
- To measure the
effect of disease on pulmonary function
- To screen individuals
at risk of having pulmonary diseases
- Smokers
- Individuals
in occupations with exposures to injurious substances
- Some routine
physical examinations
- To assess preoperative
risk
- To assess prognosis
(lung transplant, etc.)
- To assess health
status before enrollment in strenuous physical activity programs
|