capacity /ca·pac·i·ty/ (kah-pas´ĭ-te) the power to hold, retain, or contain, or the ability to absorb; usually expressed numerically as the measure of such ability.
Vital capacity (VC)
vital capacity (VC)
capacity [kah-pas´ĭ-te]
forced vital capacity (FVC) vital capacity measured when the patient is exhaling with maximal speed and effort.
functional residual capacity the amount of air remaining at the end of normal quiet respiration.
heat capacity the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a specific quantity of a substance by one degree Celsius. Symbol C.
inspiratory capacity the volume of gas that can be taken into the lungs in a full inhalation, starting from the resting inspiratory position; equal to the tidal volume plus the inspiratory reserve volume.
maximal breathing capacity maximum voluntary ventilation.
thermal capacity heat c.
total lung capacity the amount of gas contained in the lung at the end of a maximal inhalation. 
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Subdivisions of total lung capacity: TLC, total lung capacity; VT, tidal volume; IC, inspiratory capacity; FRC, functional residual capacity; ERV, expiratory reserve volume; VC, vital capacity; RV, residual volume.
virus neutralizing capacity the ability of a serum to inhibit the infectivity of a virus.
vital capacity VC; the volume of gas that can be expelled from the lungs from a position of full inspiration, with no limit to duration of inspiration; equal to inspiratory capacity plus expiratory reserve volume.
| vital capacity n. Abbr. VC The amount of air that can be forcibly expelled from the lungs following breathing in as deeply as possible. Also called respiratory capacity. |
Vital capacity (VC)
The largest amount of air expelled after one's deepest inhalation.
Mentioned in: Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
vital capacity (VC)
Etymology: L, vita, life, capacitas, capacity
the maximum volume of air that can be expelled at the normal rate of exhalation after a maximum inspiration, representing the greatest possible breathing capacity. The VC equals the inspiratory reserve volume plus the tidal volume plus the expiratory reserve volume. The average normal value of 4 to 5 L is affected by age, the physical dimensions of the chest cage, physical fitness, posture, and gender. The VC may be reduced by a decrease in the amount of functioning lung tissue resulting from atelectasis, edema, fibrosis, pneumonia, pulmonary resection, or tumors; by limited chest expansion resulting from ascites, chest deformity, neuromuscular disease, pneumothorax, or pregnancy; or by airway obstruction. Compare forced expiratory volume, forced expired vital capacity, residual volume.
capacity [kah-pas´ĭ-te]
the power to hold, retain, or contain, or the ability to absorb; usually expressed numerically as the measure of such ability.
closing capacity (CC) the volume of gas in the lungs at the time of airway closure, the sum of the closing volume and the residual volume. See also closing volume.
decreased intracranial adaptive capacity a nursing diagnosis accepted by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, defined as the state in which intracranial fluid dynamic mechanisms that normally compensate for increases in intracranial volumes are compromised, resulting in repeated disproportionate increases in intracranial pressure in response to a variety of noxious and nonnoxious stimuli.
diffusing capacity see diffusing capacity.
forced vital capacity the maximal volume of gas that can be exhaled from full inhalation by exhaling as forcefully and rapidly as possible. See also pulmonary function tests.
functional residual capacity the amount of gas remaining at the end of normal quiet respiration.
heat capacity the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a specific quantity of a substance by one degree Celsius.
inspiratory capacity the volume of gas that can be taken into the lungs in a full inhalation, starting from the resting inspiratory position; equal to the tidal volume plus the inspiratory reserve volume.
maximal breathing capacity maximum voluntary ventilation.
thermal capacity heat capacity.
total lung capacity the amount of gas contained in the lung at the end of a maximal inhalation.
Subdivisions of total lung capacity: TLC, total lung capacity; V, tidal volume; IC, inspiratory capacity; FRC, functional residual capacity; ERV, expiratory reserve volume; VC, vital capacity; RV, residual volume. From Dorland's, 2000.
virus neutralizing capacity the ability of a serum to inhibit the infectivity of a virus.
vital capacity (VC) see vital capacity.
vital [vi´tal]
pertaining to life; necessary to life.
vital capacity (VC) the greatest volume of gas that, following maximum inhalation, can be expelled during a complete, slow, forced exhalation; equal to inspiratory capacity plus expiratory reserve volume.
Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the greatest volume of air that can be expelled when a person performs a rapid, forced exhalation, which usually takes about five seconds. The greatest volume of air a person can exhale during one, two, three, or more seconds of forced exhalation is called the forced expiratory volume (FEV). A subscript is added to the abbreviation FEV to indicate the phase during which the particular amount or volume of air is exhaled. A volume exhaled during the first second is designated FEV1.0, a volume exhaled during the first two seconds is designated FEV2.0, and so on. The rate at which a specified volume of air is exhaled during a forced exhalation is called forced expiratory flow (FEF). The rate at which air is exhaled from a forced expiratory volume of 200 mL to one of 1200 mL is designated FEF200–1200 (formerly called maximal expiratory flow, MEF); the rate from 25 to 75 per cent of the forced vital capacity is designated FEF25–75% (formerly called maximal midexpiratory flow, MMF).
Laboratory values for vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, and forced expiratory flow are usually reported both as absolute values and as statistically derived predicted values based on the age, sex, and height of a patient. The statistical value is reported as a percentage. See also pulmonary function tests.
Forced vital capacity (FVC) is the greatest volume of air that can be expelled when a person performs a rapid, forced exhalation, which usually takes about five seconds. The greatest volume of air a person can exhale during one, two, three, or more seconds of forced exhalation is called the forced expiratory volume (FEV). A subscript is added to the abbreviation FEV to indicate the phase during which the particular amount or volume of air is exhaled. A volume exhaled during the first second is designated FEV1.0, a volume exhaled during the first two seconds is designated FEV2.0, and so on. The rate at which a specified volume of air is exhaled during a forced exhalation is called forced expiratory flow (FEF). The rate at which air is exhaled from a forced expiratory volume of 200 mL to one of 1200 mL is designated FEF200–1200 (formerly called maximal expiratory flow, MEF); the rate from 25 to 75 per cent of the forced vital capacity is designated FEF25–75% (formerly called maximal midexpiratory flow, MMF).
Laboratory values for vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume, and forced expiratory flow are usually reported both as absolute values and as statistically derived predicted values based on the age, sex, and height of a patient. The statistical value is reported as a percentage. See also pulmonary function tests.
vital capacity,
n the maximum amount of air that can be expelled following maximum inhalation, representing the maximum breathing capacity. Used to determine the condition of the lung function.
capacity,
n legal qualification, competency, power, or fitness.
capacity, functional residual,
n (normal capacity), the volume of gas in the lungs at resting expiratory level.
capacity, iron-binding,
n a measure of the binding capacity of iron in the serum; helps to differentiate the causes of hypoferremia. This capacity tends to increase in iron deficiency and diminishes in chronic diseases and during infection.
capacity, normal,
n See capacity, functional residual.
capacity, total lung (TLC),
n the volume of air in the lungs at the end of maximal inspiration.
capacity, vital (VC),
n the maximum volume of air that can be expired after maximal inspiration.
vital,
adj necessary to or pertaining to life.
vital capacity,
n a measurement of the amount of air that can be expelled at the normal rate of exhalation after a maximum inspiration, representing the greatest possible breathing capacity.
vital signs,
n.pl the measurements of pulse rate, respiration rate, and body temperature. Although not strictly a vital sign, blood pressure is also customarily included in this category.
vital statistics,
n.pl the data relating to births (natality), deaths (mortality), marriages, health, and disease (morbidity).
capacity
the power to hold, retain, or contain, or the ability to absorb; usually expressed numerically as the measure of such ability.
carrying capacity
see carrying capacity.
closing capacity (CC)
the volume of gas in the lungs at the time of airway closure. See also closing volume.
forced vital capacity
the maximal volume of gas that can be exhaled from full inspiration exhaling as forcefully and rapidly as possible. See also pulmonary function tests.
functional residual capacity
the amount of gas remaining at the end of normal quiet respiration.
heat capacity
thermal capacity.
inspiratory capacity
the volume of gas that can be taken into the lungs in a full inspiration, starting from the resting inspiratory position; equal to the tidal volume plus the inspiratory reserve volume.
maximal breathing capacity
maximal voluntary ventilation.
thermal capacity
the amount of heat absorbed by a body in being raised 1°C.
total lung capacity
the amount of gas contained in the lung at the end of a maximal inspiration.
virus neutralizing capacity
the ability of a serum to inhibit the infectivity of a virus.
vital capacity
the volume of gas that can be expelled from the lungs from a position of full inspiration, with no limit to duration of expiration; equal to inspiratory capacity plus expiratory reserve volume.
vital
pertaining to life; necessary to life.
vital capacity
the greatest volume of gas that, following maximum inspiration, can be expelled during a complete, slow, unforced expiratory maneuver; equal to inspiratory capacity plus expiratory reserve volume. This is a commonly made and practicable measurement in humans but is not so in animals.
vital red
dye injected into the circulation to estimate blood volume by calculating the concentration of the dye in the plasma.
vital signs
the signs of life, namely pulse, respiration and temperature.
vital statistics
that branch of biometry dealing with the data and laws of animal mortality, morbidity, natality and demography.
vital statistic rate
vital statistics presented as a proportion of a population, e.g. fetal deaths as a percentage of total births. Includes case fatality rate, nonreturn rate at 60 days.
vital capacity
Lung physiology The volume of air exhaled by a maxium expiration after a maxium inspiration. See Lung volumes. Cf Total lung capacity.
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