Spirometers are a medical device used to measure respiration flow rates in the lungs. They record the amount of air breathed in and out over a specific period of time and are used to test the condition of a patient's lungs. Diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma can be tested for with this device. It is often used to find out the cause of shortness of breathe, to assess lung function due to contaminants, the effects of medications, and the progression of disease.
Based on a patient's sex, ethnicity, height, and age normal results can be determined. Values below 80 percent are considered to be abnormal, but the range can vary when using different labs. Nose clips are worn and the patient is asked to breathe through a mouthpiece. This forced and fast breathing can sometimes cause a temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
If the test is abnormal this can be an indication of a lung disease or a chest disease. Chronic bronchitis, infections, asthma, and emphysema can cause the lungs to have too much air in them and take a longer to empty. These conditions are known as obstructive disorders of the lungs and can result in scarring and a limited capacity causing problems with the transfer of oxygen into the bloodstream and limiting the amount of air in the lungs. Being very overweight, having lung cancer, fibrosis of the lungs, or scleroderma and sarcoidosis can be contributing factors.
The risk is minimal in taking this test for most patients. For those people who have certain lung diseases there is an occasional risk of a lung collapsing. Those who have heart disease or a recent heart attack should avoid taking this test.
Cooperation is of the utmost importance when taking this test for the best results. The mouthpiece seal must be tight or the results will be bad and difficult to interpret. Smoking is not advised for at least 4 to 6 hours beforehand and do not eat a heavy meal prior to testing. People who use inhaler medications or a bronchodilator will get special instructions.
Another type of test that is administered to check lung volume is done by breathing nitrogen or helium gas for a specific time period. Tracer gas is also used for diffusion capacity testing, this is a harmless gas that is inhaled for one breathe, then the gas is measured as one exhales and the difference is measured between the inhaled and exhaled amounts of gas. Oxygen movement is checked in air to the bloodstream transfer.
This test is a routine part of a physical and can alert the physician to possible problems with lung function for early detection and treatment. It is non-invasion and of minimal discomfort to the patient while being performed. It takes but a few minutes to get an accurate assessment of how the lungs are functioning.
Since the ancient Greeks used the first spirometers in 129 A. D. By creating a primitive bladder method to measure the capacity in a boy's lungs to today's methods developed in 1974, this device is an accurate way to measure the lung volume and to assist in the early detection of disease and the monitoring of medications.
Based on a patient's sex, ethnicity, height, and age normal results can be determined. Values below 80 percent are considered to be abnormal, but the range can vary when using different labs. Nose clips are worn and the patient is asked to breathe through a mouthpiece. This forced and fast breathing can sometimes cause a temporary shortness of breath or lightheadedness.
If the test is abnormal this can be an indication of a lung disease or a chest disease. Chronic bronchitis, infections, asthma, and emphysema can cause the lungs to have too much air in them and take a longer to empty. These conditions are known as obstructive disorders of the lungs and can result in scarring and a limited capacity causing problems with the transfer of oxygen into the bloodstream and limiting the amount of air in the lungs. Being very overweight, having lung cancer, fibrosis of the lungs, or scleroderma and sarcoidosis can be contributing factors.
The risk is minimal in taking this test for most patients. For those people who have certain lung diseases there is an occasional risk of a lung collapsing. Those who have heart disease or a recent heart attack should avoid taking this test.
Cooperation is of the utmost importance when taking this test for the best results. The mouthpiece seal must be tight or the results will be bad and difficult to interpret. Smoking is not advised for at least 4 to 6 hours beforehand and do not eat a heavy meal prior to testing. People who use inhaler medications or a bronchodilator will get special instructions.
Another type of test that is administered to check lung volume is done by breathing nitrogen or helium gas for a specific time period. Tracer gas is also used for diffusion capacity testing, this is a harmless gas that is inhaled for one breathe, then the gas is measured as one exhales and the difference is measured between the inhaled and exhaled amounts of gas. Oxygen movement is checked in air to the bloodstream transfer.
This test is a routine part of a physical and can alert the physician to possible problems with lung function for early detection and treatment. It is non-invasion and of minimal discomfort to the patient while being performed. It takes but a few minutes to get an accurate assessment of how the lungs are functioning.
Since the ancient Greeks used the first spirometers in 129 A. D. By creating a primitive bladder method to measure the capacity in a boy's lungs to today's methods developed in 1974, this device is an accurate way to measure the lung volume and to assist in the early detection of disease and the monitoring of medications.
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