Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise
Published on: February 20, 2017
Pulmonary function and ventilatory limitation to exercise in congenital heart disease
Paolo T Pianosi1, Jonathan N Johnson, Attilio Turchetta
1Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicne, Rochester, MN, USA. pianosi.paolo@mayo.edu
Abstract:
Pulmonary function in older children and adolescents following surgical repair of congenital heart disease is often abnormal for various reasons. Many of these patients report symptoms of exercise intolerance although the reason(s) for this symptom can be complicated and sometimes interrelated. Is it simply deconditioning due to inactive lifestyle, chronotropic or inotropic insufficiency? or could there indeed be ventilatory limitation to exercise? These are the questions facing the clinician with the increasing frequency of patients undergoing repair early in life and growing into adulthood. Understanding pulmonary functional outcomes and means of determining ventilatory limitation to exercise is essential to thoroughly address the problem. This article reviews pulmonary function in patients with congenital heart disease and then describes a newer technique that should be applied to determine ventilatory limitation to exercise.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Pulmonary Function Tests
Pulmonary Function Tests are crucial diagnostic tools for assessing respiratory function, particularly in patients with chronic respiratory disorders. They comprehensively evaluate lung volumes, ventilatory function, breathing mechanics, diffusion, and gas exchange. These tests help diagnose pulmonary diseases and play a significant role in monitoring disease progression, evaluating disability, and assessing response to therapy.
PFTs involve using a spirometer, a...
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation

