Free BCEN Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Practice Question

In patients with a suspicion of COPD, the FEV1/FVC ratio is one parameter measured spirometrically to aid in diagnosis. A ratio less than 0.70 post-bronchodilator administration supports the diagnosis of COPD, as it indicates persistent airflow limitation despite bronchodilator therapy. An increase in FEV1/FVC ratio that significantly improves with bronchodilators typically suggests reversible airway constriction seen in asthma, not COPD. The correct answer explains that the statement is inaccurate, differentiating the chronic and irreversible airflow limitation found in COPD from the reversible patterns seen in asthma.