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The simple breathing test that can save your lifePatricia Carroll, RN,BC, CEN, RRT, MS
A Simple Breathing Test Tells Your Lung Health Story To watch this interview click here
Not only am I a registered nurse, I am proud
that I began my career as a
registered respiratory therapist -- we're
the lung health specialists. October 19-25 is
National Respiratory Care Week, and October 22
is National Lung Health Day. We're dedicated to
helping everyone -- from babies to seniors --
breathe a little easier.
The Silent Killer
There is an epidemic of chronic lung disease in
the U.S. It is now the fourth leading cause of
The earlier chronic lung disease is diagnosed,
the sooner proper treatment can begin. Early
treatment also reduces the risk that the lung
disease will progress to the point where it
interferes with work or your ability to carry
out everyday tasks and participate in activities
you enjoy. The
If You Can Blow Out Birthday Candles, You Can Have This Test!
Yes, it's that simple and painless. The test is
called spirometry (spy-ROM-uh-tree). To have a With normal lung function, you should be able to exhale all your air in about 6 seconds, and of that amount, you should push out about 80% if it in the first second. Then, we compare how much you exhaled with a database of thousands of results, based on your age, height and gender. No needles, no preparation is required, and it is a whole lot easier than a colonoscopy! What Can I Learn From This Test? Spirometry does not necessarily diagnose a specific disease; rather, it tells us about your lungs' function. There are two key abnormalities we look for. The most common is called obstructive disease. We use this term when the patient tries to blow out as fast as possible, but may only be able to blow out 50% of the total amount of air in the first second, for example, instead of 80% as with normal lung function. The air is slowed down because of a blockage -- or obstruction -- to air flow, either because of mucus in the breathing passages (called airways) that typically causes a partial obstruction, or collapse of the tiniest airways, which blocks air movement altogether. Formerly called emphysema and chronic bronchitis, these diseases are now grouped together under one name, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or C-O-P-D. I am honored to be on the board of the COPD Resource Network, a partnership between those living with COPD and clinicians who provide care. Asthma is also classified as an obstructive disease, but asthma waxes and wanes, while COPD doesn't change much from day to day. The other abnormality is called restrictive disease. This means the person can breathe out quickly, but has stiff lungs or weak muscles in the chest and is unable to take in a very deep breath to start the test. This pattern may be seen with fibrosis, such as coal miners' lung or with diseases such as muscular dystrophy. Here's a picture of what we see on a spirometry test:
Note that on these illustrations, that important first second of exhalation is measured at the first mark on the time (horizontal) line
We also get a digital printout of the exact amount of air that you exhaled compared with the values predicted for your age, height and gender.
Spirometry does not diagnose lung diseases such as lung cancer or tuberculosis, and you'll have some additional testing done if you have an obstructive or restrictive pattern, but it is not immediately clear from your medical history and your examination what the problem is. An Engraved Invitation, Web-style
Since some people want an engraved invitation, here it is. This test is particularly critical if you smoke. Or, if someone you love smokes, provide them with the invitation. Don't put it off because you're afraid of what the results might show. If you have lung disease, ignoring it won't make it go away. Instead, ignoring breathing problems can result in disability -- or an early death. Do it for the people you love.
Written: October 2003
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death,
killing more than 110,000 people each year. It
costs our economy $23.9 billion annually. But
the most frightening statistic is that 14
million Americans have chronic lung disease and
don't know they have it!
spirometry test, you'll take in the deepest
breath you possibly can, and then blow it out as
hard and as fast as you can into a machine
called a spirometer (spy-ROM-uh-ter). The key
measurements we make are the amount of air you
breathe out and how quickly you can push the air
out of your lungs.