Spirometer

What is Spirometer

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Spirometer is a test to examine how your lungs work by monitoring quantity of air you can inhale, how much you can exhale and how quickly you can exhale.

This test is to diagnose asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other things which affect breathing. The test may also be used occasionally to check your lung condition and test whether a patient requires treatment to breathe well.

When to conduct Spirometry

Physician may suggest this test if he thinks your symptoms may be responsible by a chronic lung condition such as:

COPD – Emphysema – Asthma – Chronic bronchitis – Pulmonary fibrosis

If you’ve a chronic lung disorder, spirometer may be used frequently to test how good your medicines are peforming and if your breathing issues are in control. Spirometry may be done before a surgery to check if your lung function is good for the operation. Moreover, spirometry test is also for occupational-related lung malfunctions..

Dangers

Spirometry is usually a safe test. You may have short of breath or dizzy for a while after you have the test.

Since the test needs some exertion, i=doctor should not do the test if a patient has had a recent heart attack or some other heart problems.

Patient must follow physician’s instructions whether he should avoid use of inhaled breathing medicines or other medicines prior to the test. Other things include the following:

• Do not wear tight clothing that will interfere with your deep breath.
• Do not eat large meal before the test, so it will be easier to breathe.

The spirometer test needs you to breathe into a mouth piece attached to a machine. Before the test, a technician will guide you. Listen to him and ask anything if something is not understood. Having the test correctly is important for correct results.

Your physician may give you an inhaled medicine to expand your lungs after the initial tests. You shall wait 20 minutes and then have another set of tests. Your physician then will compare the results of the two tests to see whether the bronchodilator enhances your airflow.

Conclusion

Key examinations are following:

FVC

FEV

FEV1

FEV1/FVC ratio

FEF

PEF