Spirometry is a diagnostic test that measures lung function, detecting breathing difficulties caused by asthma, COPD, and other ailments. The test is quick, painless, and can be done in a doctor’s office. Patients inhale and exhale into a tube-like device attached to a spirometer, which records results. The test measures forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1), and the results are compared to values from people of similar height, gender, ethnicity, and age range. The test can help determine if medications can potentially help the patient breathe easier, and people being treated for chronic lung disorders are often advised to have a spirometry test every one to two years.
Spirometry is a type of diagnostic test that can be done to check lung function. The test determines how much air an individual can take in and out of the lungs and how quickly air can be expelled from the lungs. A spirometry test could help detect asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other ailments that can cause breathing difficulties. If your test results show lower than average values it could indicate a problem with how your lungs are working. The procedure is relatively quick, painless, and can be done in a doctor’s office or hospital.
Typically, during a spirometry test, the patient is asked to inhale fully to get as much air as possible and forcefully exhale for six seconds into a tube-like device attached to a spirometer. The spirometer is a machine that records results. Typically, test readings are taken three times. Sometimes, your doctor can give you a bronchodilator, a drug that opens up the airways in your lungs and makes it easier for air to pass. The test is then repeated and the measurements taken before and after administration of the bronchodilator are compared.
Measurements provided by a spirometry test include forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1). FVC indicates the volume of air forcefully exhaled after maximal inhalation and FEV-1 refers to the amount of air expelled in the first second. From the FEVXNUMX and FVC measurements, the doctor calculates the percentage, and the results are compared to values from people of similar height, gender, ethnicity, and age range. Usually, test results are also presented as a flow volume cycle, which is a graph that plots airflow rate and volume. The shape of the flow volume ring can also help determine the type of respiratory disorder.
With a spirometry test, a doctor can ascertain whether there is an airway compromise that is affecting the patient’s breathing. It could also help determine if medications can potentially help the patient breathe easier. In addition to being useful in diagnosing asthma, spirometry tests can aid in the detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema and indicate the stage of the disease. People being treated for chronic lung disorders are often advised to have a spirometry test every one to two years. This allows your doctor to monitor your response to prescribed medications and to change or improve any symptoms you are experiencing.
It is advisable to take some precautions before a spirometry test. These include wearing comfortable clothes, avoiding exposure to asthma triggers, and not eating a heavy meal before the test. Your doctor can tell you if you need to stop any medications for a period of time before having the test. The accuracy of the results depends on how well the patient follows the instructions of the nurse or technician administering the test, so care must be taken in following the test procedure.
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