Spirometers

Spirometer is a device that is used to carry out a test named Spirometry. Spirometry is the most commonly used pulmonary function test that measures the patients’ breath. It is an important method used to assess the function of a patient's lungs over a specified period of time. The volume of air and it speed expelled from the lungs of the patient after a maximal inspiration.

It is the most reliable method to assess various chest conditions such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), asthma, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis. Besides the assessment of the severity of the lung condition it also helps measure the response to the treatment. Spirometry is a useful device that helps differentiate between restrictive lung diseases such as fibrotic lung disease and obstructive airway disorders such as asthma and COPD.

Different types of devices are available, but their purpose is same and they all include a mouthpiece for blowing into the device. Spirometers are used to measure the following:

• FEV1 that represents the volume of air exhaled by the patient during the first second of forced expiration.

• FVC (forced volume capacity) represents the volume of air exhaled forcibly by the patient during one breath.

• FEV1/FVC represents the ratio of FEV1 to FVC and is expressed as a percentage of the predicted normal for people with similar height, age, race and sex.

• VC or vital capacity is similar to FVC but with a slow rate of expiration into the Spirometer.

• FEV1/VC represents the ratio of FEV1 to VC.

Before conducting the actual test and if it's the first time that the patient is using a spirometer he should be properly instructed on how to use it with the help of demonstration. It is beneficial for the patient to carry out some practice tests before carrying out the actual test. This must be repeated at least three times. This will help in comparing the patient's results with the predicted normal values, such as their height, age and sex along with their race. This is important because the normal values are different for different races.

Click Here For More info about Spirometers