The FEV1 is the figure we often use to describe our "lung function". Basically, it means that you can expel 40% of the air from your lungs in the first second of exhalation compared to someone without lung disease who's your age, height, weight and sex. That's important and leads to the next important thing you mentioned which is gas exchange. The job of the alveoli in your lungs is to exchange CO2 for O2, and your lungs only do that at 40%, which means they are not very efficient.

What both those numbers mean is that you have an obstructive disease (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) which makes it harder for you to blow off the stale, trapped air in your lungs and exchange the CO2 for O2, which tends to make us short of breath.

For a really good explanation of how the lungs work and how all these things fit together, I suggest you go to http://www.copdfoundation.org/Learn-More/For-Pa...

It's an excellent explanation of how the lungs are supposed to work and what happens when we have COPD. You'll learn a lot and be far better educated regarding COPD.

(EMPHYSEMA/COPD SUCCESS TREATMENT: My story)
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Jean, thank you so much for your answer to the PFT results. I was DX'd 4 years ago and even the pulmonologist didn't explain it as well as you did. You are an angel....