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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.
The patient is fitted with nose clips and breathes through a mouthpiece that is tight fitting for optimal results. Forced and fast breathing during testing can cause a feeling of being lightheaded or can cause a temporary shortness of breath. Age, ethnicity, race, and sex all determine normal range results. When test scores drop below 80 percent, the test is deemed to be abnormal, but ranges can vary with different laboratories.
An abnormal result can indicate a lung or chest disease. Diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and infections can cause the lungs to take longer to empty and they can contain too much air. These are called obstructive lung disorders. Some diseases can cause the lungs to be scarred and become smaller so that they do not transfer oxygen into the blood and they contain too little air. Illnesses that contribute to this are being extremely overweight, sarcoidosis and scleroderma, lung cancer, and fibrosis of the lungs.
For most, this test poses very little risk, but there are conditions that could cause the risk of a collapsed lung such as those who have certain lung diseases. People who have heart disease or have recently experienced a heart attack should avoid this test.
Being cooperative during testing is very important to receive the most accurate results. The seal around the mouthpiece must be tight or the device will product results that are hard to understand. Smoking or eating a heavy meal should be avoided for 4 to 6 hours before testing. People using bronchodilators or inhaler medications will receive special instruction.
Nitrogen or helium gases are also used to measure lung volume. The gas is breathed through a tube for a specific amount of time. Tracer gas is used in diffusion measurements and requires that one breathe of this harmless gas is taken for a specified amount of time and then measured as the patient exhales. The difference in the amount breathed in versus breathed out is measured to check for the movement of oxygen flowing into the bloodstream.
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.
Spirometers have been around since 129 A. D. When a bladder was used to check the lung capacity of a boy in Greece. Today we base this technology on the principals developed in 1974 to accurately measure lung volume to aid in the monitoring and detection of lung disease and the effects of treatments.
The patient is fitted with nose clips and breathes through a mouthpiece that is tight fitting for optimal results. Forced and fast breathing during testing can cause a feeling of being lightheaded or can cause a temporary shortness of breath. Age, ethnicity, race, and sex all determine normal range results. When test scores drop below 80 percent, the test is deemed to be abnormal, but ranges can vary with different laboratories.
An abnormal result can indicate a lung or chest disease. Diseases such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and infections can cause the lungs to take longer to empty and they can contain too much air. These are called obstructive lung disorders. Some diseases can cause the lungs to be scarred and become smaller so that they do not transfer oxygen into the blood and they contain too little air. Illnesses that contribute to this are being extremely overweight, sarcoidosis and scleroderma, lung cancer, and fibrosis of the lungs.
For most, this test poses very little risk, but there are conditions that could cause the risk of a collapsed lung such as those who have certain lung diseases. People who have heart disease or have recently experienced a heart attack should avoid this test.
Being cooperative during testing is very important to receive the most accurate results. The seal around the mouthpiece must be tight or the device will product results that are hard to understand. Smoking or eating a heavy meal should be avoided for 4 to 6 hours before testing. People using bronchodilators or inhaler medications will receive special instruction.
Nitrogen or helium gases are also used to measure lung volume. The gas is breathed through a tube for a specific amount of time. Tracer gas is used in diffusion measurements and requires that one breathe of this harmless gas is taken for a specified amount of time and then measured as the patient exhales. The difference in the amount breathed in versus breathed out is measured to check for the movement of oxygen flowing into the bloodstream.
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.
Spirometers have been around since 129 A. D. When a bladder was used to check the lung capacity of a boy in Greece. Today we base this technology on the principals developed in 1974 to accurately measure lung volume to aid in the monitoring and detection of lung disease and the effects of treatments.
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