ARTP statement on cardiopulmonary exercise testing 2021

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has become an invaluable tool in healthcare, improving the diagnosis of disease and the quality, efficacy, assessment and safety of treatment across a range of pathologies. CPET’s superior ability to measure the global exercise response of the respiratory, cardiovascular and skeletal muscle systems simultaneously in a time and cost-efficient manner has led to the application of CPET in a range of settings from diagnosis of disease to preoperative assessment. The Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology Statement on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing 2021 provides the practitioner and scientist with an outstanding resource to support and enhance practice, from equipment to testing to leadership, helping them deliver a quality assured service for the benefit of all patient groups.

ARTP statement on pulmonary function testing 2020

The Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP) last produced a statement on the performance of lung function testing in 1994. At that time the focus was on a practical statement for people working in lung function laboratories. Since that time there have been many technological advances and alterations to best practice in the measurement and interpretation of lung function assessments. In light of these advances an update was warranted. ARTP, therefore, have provided within this document, where available, the most up-to-date and evidence-based recommendations for the most common lung function assessments performed in laboratories across the UK. These recommendations set out the requirements and considerations that need to be made in terms of environmental and patient factors that may influence both the performance and interpretation of lung function tests. They also incorporate procedures to ensure quality assured diagnostic investigations that include those associated with equipment, the healthcare professional conducting the assessments and the results achieved by the subject. Each section aims to outline the common parameters provided for each investigation, a brief principle behind the measurements (where applicable), and suggested acceptability and reproducibility criteria.

Withdrawal of Respiratory Technology

Respiratory failure can be defined as the inability of the lungs to provide adequate oxygenation or ventilation to sustain life. Respiratory failure can lead to abrupt clinical deterioration and is extremely distressing for patients and families. Advances in technology over the past decade have produced many life-sustaining therapies for patients with respiratory failure. Examples include high-flow oxygen therapy, invasive and noninvasive mechanically assisted breathing ventilation, prostacyclin therapy, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The care of these complex patients necessitates policies and procedures to assure quality care in withdrawal. Standardized protocols for withdrawal of life-sustaining respiratory therapies provide structured guidance, reduce variation in practice, and improve family and healthcare provider satisfaction.