Spirometry should be done if your doctor thinks you may have COPD or if you keep having trouble breathing. This will help your doctor find out if the bronchodilator improves the air movement through your lungs. 3 After waiting for about 10 to 15 minutes for the medicine to work, the test is done again. A person with COPD undergoing a spirometry testĪfter the first set of tests, you may be given an inhaled medicine, a bronchodilator, to open up your lungs. You will be asked to repeat these steps at least three times to make sure that the test result is right.įigure.With a mouthpiece connected to the spirometer, you will be asked to take a deep breath in, so that your lungs are completely filled with air, and then to breathe out as hard and fast as you can for six to eight seconds-until your lungs are emptied as much as possible.You will be seated upright in a chair, and a clip will be placed on your nose to keep you from breathing through your nose.1 Here is what to expect during your spirometry test 1,3: The test takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. When you arrive, a person in your doctor’s office will explain the test and what you need to do. On the day of your test, your doctor may ask that you do not take your COPD medicine, do not wear tight clothing, and do not eat a large meal for two to four hours before your test. 2 Spirometry can help decide what medicines you will take and it can be used to follow your lung health over time. 2 Spirometry is an important test that should be done in addition to asking about your symptoms and medical history when COPD is diagnosed. 2 This is known as “air trapping” and is one of the causes of feeling short of breath. However, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a hard time breathing out, and therefore too much air stays in their lungs. During normal breathing, air flows in and out of your lungs freely. 1 It is part of the testing done with full pulmonary function testing which may include other assessments (see below). The test measures how quickly and how much air you can breathe in and out. Spirometry is a common breathing test that assesses how well your lungs work. Bradley Drummond, MD of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and Carol Rubin, MEd, MS of Cliffside Park, NJ. This post was authored by Barbara Yawn, MD, MSc, FAAFP of the University of Minnesota M. BRIDGE Patient to Investigator Training.COPD Assessment Test (CAT) / Chronic Airways Assessment Test (CAAT).
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