Clinical measurements to assess cardiopulmonary function

Physical therapists perform measurements of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems that are used to generate exercise prescriptions and to assess the effects of treatment interventions. The purpose of this article is to describe methods that are used routinely in clinical settings to evaluate heart rate, blood pressure, breathing patterns, respiratory muscle strength, chest mobility, and breath sounds. The application of subjective ratings performed by patients is discussed. In the interpretation of results of measurements, clinicians should consider both biological and technical sources of variability. Research studies are needed to establish both intrarater and interrater reliability of many of these measurements used in physical therapy practice.