FVC
Medical abbreviation · Respiratory
| Stands for | Forced vital capacity |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
FVC stands for Forced vital capacity, a respiratory abbreviation.
Total volume of air a person can forcefully exhale after taking the deepest possible breath, measured in liters during spirometry. It is reduced in restrictive diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis and neuromuscular weakness, and can also fall in severe obstruction from air trapping.
Example: FVC declined from 2.8 to 2.4 L over 12 months, a 14% drop indicating progressive fibrosis.
Usage notes
A relative FVC decline of 10 percent or more within a year marks progression in interstitial lung disease and is a common clinical trial end point. In ALS and other neuromuscular diseases, falling FVC, often measured sitting and lying down, signals breathing muscle weakness and guides the start of noninvasive ventilation. Slow vital capacity (SVC) is measured without forced effort.
Related abbreviations
More respiratory abbreviations
- ESS – Epworth Sleepiness Scale
- FeNO – Fractional exhaled nitric oxide
- FEV1 – Forced expiratory volume in 1 second
- FEV1/FVC – Ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity
- FiO2 – Fraction of inspired oxygen
- FRC – Functional residual capacity
- GGO – Ground-glass opacity
- GINA – Global Initiative for Asthma
- GOLD – Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
- HCAP – Healthcare-associated pneumonia
- HFNC – High-flow nasal cannula
- HP – Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.