New Tests to Assess Lung Function

THE first paper in this series* outlined the reasons for employing exercise testing in the clinical evaluation of pulmonary disease, presented the principles underlying the measurements, and described briefly the normal respiratory responses to exercise. The present paper focuses on the mechanisms whereby respiratory disease reduces the ability to perform exercise. Rather than describe the patterns of response in given categories of disease, it summarizes the information gained from exercise testing to show the insight obtained into a variety of respiratory functions more familiarly studied by other technics at rest. Observations made in the resting state may not be a . . .