In the restricted lung, volumes are small because inspiration is limited due to reduced compliance. The FVC test allows one to clearly distinguish between the two disease types. Notice in the obstructed lung below left , how FVC is smaller than normal, but also that FEV 1 is much smaller than normal. This is because it is very difficult for a person with an obstructive disease eg.
Davis PT Collection. Murtagh Collection. About Search. Enable Autosuggest. You have successfully created a MyAccess Profile for alertsuccessName. Previous Chapter. Next Chapter. AMA Citation Chapter Pulmonary Pathology. Kemp W. Walter L. Kemp, et al. Pathology: The Big Picture. McGraw Hill; Accessed November 12, APA Citation Chapter Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion.
You are here: Nurse educators. Quick facts: What is the difference between obstructive and restrictive lung disease? Explanations of obstructive and restrictive lung disease and how to identify both. NT Contributor. Restrictive lung diseases can be due to either intrinsic, extrinsic, or neurological factors.
Intrinsic Restrictive Lung Diseases. Intrinsic restrictive disorders are those that occur due to restriction in the lungs often a "stiffening" and include:. Extrinsic Restrictive Lung Diseases. Extrinsic restrictive disorders refer to those that originate outside of the lungs. These include impairment caused by:. Neurological Restrictive Lung Diseases. Neurological restrictive disorders are those caused by disorders of the central nervous system that interfere with movements necessary to draw air into the lungs.
A person may also have symptoms and tests that suggest a combination of obstructive and restrictive disease for example, when a person has both COPD and pneumonia. In addition, some diseases, such as silicosis, cause an obstructive pattern in the early stages of the disease and a restrictive pattern when the condition is more advanced. There can be significant overlap in symptoms between obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, which is why pulmonary function tests are often needed to make a diagnosis.
Symptoms shared by both obstructive and restrictive conditions include:. With obstruction, a person may have difficulty expelling all of the air from the lungs.
This often worsens with activity, since when respiratory rate increases, it becomes challenging to blow out all of the air in the lungs before taking the next breath. Narrowing of the airways may cause wheezing , as well as increased mucus sputum production. With restrictive lung disease, a person may feel like it is hard to take a full breath, and this can cause considerable anxiety at times.
With extrinsic lung disease, a person may change positions trying to find a one that makes it easier to breathe. Making a diagnosis of either obstructive or restrictive lung disease begins with a careful history and physical exam, though pulmonary function tests and imaging tests are very important, especially when the diagnosis is unclear.
These tests can also help doctors understand if more than one condition is present at the same time, especially when a mixed pattern is found. It can be very helpful in differentiating obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, as well as determining the severity of these diseases. This test can determine the following:. There are other types of pulmonary function tests that may be needed as well:. Lab tests may give an indication of the severity of lung disease, but are not very helpful in determining if it is obstructive or restrictive in nature.
Oximetry, a measure of the oxygen content in the blood, may be low in both types of diseases. Arterial blood gases may also reveal a low oxygen level and, sometimes, an elevated carbon dioxide level hypercapnia.
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