Spirometers And What They Are Used For

By Marissa Velazquez


Spirometers are a very useful tool for a doctor to diagnose breathing conditions such as chronic obstructive disease (COPD) and lung capacity in general for those who present symptoms of concern. They are a great diagnostic tool for those who are currently under treatment for lung conditions to see if the treatment is effective. It measures the flow of air going in and out of the lungs and how fast it is moving.

When used on patients who currently have a lung condition, it can show the efficacy of medication that was prescribed and to monitor symptoms. Conditions such as asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema can be diagnosed with this test.

Before the test is performed, patients who are on inhalant or other medications should skip using them during testing. Avoid eating a large meal so as to make breathing easier and wear loose clothing so that breathing will be unconstricted.

When taking the test a soft clip will be placed on the nostrils to keep them closed and filtered mouthpieces may be used to prevent the spread of germs. The patient will then take a deep breath and breathe out as hard as possible for a few seconds into a tube that is attached to the spirometer. Dizziness or shortness of breath may be felt shortly after doing this. The test may need to be repeated up to three times to get consistent and accurate readings.

Sometimes a person will be given inhaled medications after the first test to allow the lungs to open more. At least 15 minutes should pass before administering the second test. The tests will then be compared to see if there is an improvement in airflow. Overall the testing will take less than 15 minutes. The results will include a vital capacity (FVC) test to show the most amount of air that can be exhaled, and a forced expiratory volume (FEV-1) test to show how much air is exhaled in a second.

A spirometer test is used to diagnose and provide asthma management, detect respiratory disease for those who show symptoms of breathlessness, and to distinguish between respiratory conditions and cardiac disease. It can measure bronchial responsiveness or differentiate between an obstructive and a restrictive lung disease. It is used to assess the impairment from occupational asthma or identify risk from pulmonary barotrauma while scuba diving. It is also used for risk assessment before the administration of anesthesia or prior to cardiothoracic surgery. This test can measure the treatment of conditions that it detects and diagnose the dysfunction of vocal cords.

Patient cooperation is required for accurate results, it can be used on children who understand the instructions of what they need to do which is usually the age of 6 or older. It is not a test that can be done on patients who are unable to understand the instructions, are unconscious, have limitation of respiratory efforts, or are heavily sedated.

Spirometers are an invaluable instrument for checking lung function while doing rigorous exercise, to check for hyper-responsiveness to the inhalation of either cold or dry air, for bronchial challenge testing, and when using medications such as methacholine or histamines.




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