Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: lung function test interpretation.

摘要

In their recent review Hawkins and colleagues describe different diagnostic pitfalls of heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although we admit problems diagnosing HF in patients with COPD and vice versa, we believe that the authors have a misconception of the interpretation of ventilatory defects of either obstructive or restrictive nature.An obstruction is defined as a disproportionate reduction of maximal airflow from the lung in relation to maximal displaceable volume.