Which statement about abnormal spirometry patterns is NOT true?

The statement regarding restrictive lung disease patients needing longer time to get the air out is not true. In restrictive lung disease, the primary issue is a reduction in lung volume that limits the amount of air that can be inhaled or exhaled. While it may seem logical to think that this could also lead to prolonged expiration, the key characteristic of restrictive patterns is that both FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second) and FVC (forced vital capacity) are reduced proportionally. Therefore, the FEV1/FVC ratio remains normal, and patients typically do not experience difficulty exhaling over an extended period; they simply have a reduced overall volume.

In contrast, obstructive lung disease, as stated, is characterized by difficulty exhaling due to narrowed airways, resulting in a prolonged expiration phase. Obstructive patterns typically show a reduced FEV1/FVC ratio because the FEV1 falls more significantly than the FVC. Lastly, restrictive patterns indeed exhibit a normal FEV1/FVC ratio because the reduction in both FEV1 and FVC maintains the ratio even though lung function is compromised compared to normal values.