What is Spirometer?

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Most of the people having asthma or respiratory disorder are suggested with a Spirometer test. People who had never experienced this kind of disease might come up with the question of what is Spirometer. However, you should not get confused between Spirometry and Spirometer. Spirometry is the test�s name and Spirometer is the device by which measurements are taken.

This device is one of the advantageous medical tests to diagnose the illness. In fact its utilization in clinical areas has become the necessity and is recommended for asthma and COPD.

What is Spirometer

What is Spirometer?

Spirometer is used by the doctors or physicians to assess any kind of lung function or respiratory disorder. It is one of the simplest and common pulmonary function tests which are necessary for reasons like:

  • Helps to monitor the diseases related to lung or respiratory system
  • To know how severe the disease is
  • To know how well the lungs are receiving and utilizing or holding the air
  • To know whether the treatment is effective on patients
  • To know whether the disease found out is obstructive or restructive

To make the selection of the right Spirometer company is as necessary as selecting the right Spirometer. Jones medical is a well known company and has more experienced as compared to any other Spirometer company. Before getting the one, how the measurements are used and what does the result actually mean must be known. It helps to know the doctor, whether to lessen the treatment or change it if it is ineffective.

Common Measurements Used

  1. FEV1 which means forced explanatory volume in one second is the air amount that you can blow in a second. If the lungs and airways are working normally, then you can blow most of the air from your lungs in one second.
  2. FVC that means forced vital capacity is the total air mount that you blow out in one breath.
  3. When FEV1 is divided by FVC (FEV1/FVC), you get the total air amount which you can blow out in one breath and is the ratio that you can blow in one second.

Meaning of Spirometry Results

The value of FEV1 is expressed in percentage which is used to classify the obstruction amount that occurs with your asthma.

  • When FEV1 is greater, 80% predicted the result is normal
  • When FEV1 is 40% to 59% of predicted, the result is Moderate obstruction
  • When FEV1 is 60% to 79% of predicted, the result is Mild obstruction
  • When FEV1 is less than 40% of predicted, the result is Severe obstruction

If your doctor is not sure whether you have asthma, then the improvement in your FEV1 of 12% or more with proper treatment can help your asthma care provider verify the diagnosis.

Preparing for Spirometry

  1. Make appoint of CHS for basic spirometry or post bronchodilator spirometry.
  2. Do not follow the checked items for the time listed before the spirometry a suggested by a nurse:
    • Oral bronchodilators within 24 hours
    • Short-acting bronchodilator inhaler within 4-8 hours NOTE: Never hesitate to use your reliever inhaler if required
    • Anticholinergics within 6 hours
    • Vigorous exercise within hour
    • Long-acting bronchodilator inhaler within 12 hours
    • Long-acting theophylline products within 36-48 hrs
    • Leukotriene antagonists within 24 hours
  3. Make the list of medicines that you are taking currently along with the times when you had taken for the last time.
  4. Reschedule the appointment if needed

The test includes taking a full breath in and bowing out with the best efforts on the tube which is attached to the Spirometry machine. Different measurements are made indicating working of your lungs. The test is performed within 10-20 minutes

Chronic respiratory problems like COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma can create problems that can narrow the bronchial tubes that cause breath shortness which makes the person feel difficult to breathe. If the narrowing is more, the person will feel more difficulty to breathe.

Spirometry offers a great value to measure how much bronchial tubes have narrowed. The Spirometer measures your lungs speed to get filled and emptied of air, giving an indication of how your lungs are performing. This enables your doctor to decide your lung condition and prepare the best treatment for you. If you are still not sure of exactly what is Spirometer, then consulting your doctor is advisable.