maximum voluntary ventilation

ventilation /ven·ti·la·tion/ (ven″tĭ-la´shun)

1. breathing; the exchange of air between the lungs and the environment, including inhalation and exhalation.

2. circulation, replacement, or purification of the air or other gas in a space.

3. the equipment with which this is done.

4. verbalization of one's problems, emotions, or feelings.

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alveolar ventilation  the amount of air that reaches the alveoli and is available for gas exchange with the blood per unit time.

high-frequency ventilation  mechanical ventilation in which small tidal volumes are delivered at a high respiration rate.

maximum voluntary ventilation  maximal breathing capacity; the greatest volume of gas that can be breathed per minute by voluntary effort.

mechanical ventilation  that accomplished by extrinsic means; usually either negative pressure v. or positive pressure v.

minute ventilation  total v.; the total volume of gas in liters exhaled from the lungs per minute.

negative pressure ventilation  mechanical ventilation in which negative pressure is generated on the outside of the patient's chest and transmitted to the interior to expand the lungs and allow air to flow in; used with weak or paralyzed patients.

positive pressure ventilation  mechanical ventilation in which air is delivered into the airways and lungs under positive pressure, usually via an endotracheal tube, producing positive airway pressure during inspiration.

pulmonary ventilation  a measure of the rate of ventilation, referring to the total exchange of air between the lungs and the ambient air.

total ventilation  minute v.

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maximum voluntary ventilation

n.

See maximum breathing capacity.

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maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV),

the maximum volume of gas that a person can inhale and exhale by voluntary effort per minute by breathing as quickly and deeply as possible. It is measured in pulmonary function tests.

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maximum voluntary ventilation

Maximum beathing capacity A nonspecific clinical benchmark of the integrated functionality of the airways, lung tissue, thoracic cage, and respiratory muscles. See Pulmonary function tests.