NCA Respiratory Practice Exam

A complete pulmonary function test (PFT) is designed to evaluate various aspects of lung function and includes several key measurements. Among the fundamental components of a PFT, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) are central indicators of how well the lungs are functioning. FVC measures the total amount of air exhaled during a forced breath, while FEV1 indicates how much air can be forcibly exhaled in the first second.

Residual volume, which is the amount of air remaining in the lungs after a maximal exhalation, is also a vital measurement for assessing lung health, particularly in understanding conditions like obstructive and restrictive lung diseases.

In contrast, blood pressure is a measurement related to cardiovascular health and does not directly assess lung function. Including blood pressure in a pulmonary function test would not provide relevant information regarding pulmonary mechanics or airflow, which are the primary focuses of a PFT. Thus, it is accurately identified as not being part of a complete pulmonary function test.