A spirometry is a medical test that is carried out by a health professional and that aims to analyze the functioning of the patient’s lungs and check for any abnormalities in the breathing process.
In this article we will find out what spirometry is and what it is for, in this way, you will be able to know better what this medical practice consists of that it is so common in the control of cardiovascular diseases.
What is spirometry?
Spirometry is a medical test that is done to check the functioning of the lungs. To do this, the patient must blow air by a nozzle that will be connected to a device responsible for measuring and analyzing the air. This device is the spirometer and analyzes both the strength, as well as the amount and speed of the air we breathe.
This is an elementary test in order to assess the state of diseases that attack the lungs, as well as to check the performance of this vital organ of the human body. It is a very simple and fast test of carrying out, but it provides decisive information to know how our respiratory system is.
One of the benefits of spirometry is that it is a non-invasive and unpainful technique that allows you to obtain relevant information about your health. The professional in charge of carrying out the test will take into account values such as:
– FEV1. That is, the amount of air that is expelled during the first second.
– FVC. It is the value that measures the amount of air that the lungs can move and, therefore, their capacity.
Normal values of a healthy patient are more than 80% . In the event that we are in lower figures, the treatment prescribed by the physician should be carried out.
What is spirometry for?
The reasons why a spirometry is done are often related to the suspicion of experiencing a disease that affects the well-being of the lungs. It is the most common test that is done when a person comes to the doctor for having a feeling of drowning or shortness of breath.
Spirometry is performed in any of these situations:
– People who experience shortness of breath, whether exercising or at rest.
– Patients who experience frequent coughs or colds.
– People who have diseases in the body that may affect the functioning of the lungs.
– Patients with asthma or COPD
– People with a high level of red blood cells in the blood
Spirometry is also usually performed in the event that a person is to be surgically intervened; thus, its lung capacity is known.
How is spirometry done?
Spirometry is a very simple test and noninvasive. To carry it out, the health professional will cover the patient’s nose with a clamp and ask him to breathe in and out at different times.
Then, they will ask the patient to breathe in again and hold it. This air must be forcefully expelled through a mouthpiece so that the values can be correctly calculated.
Bibliography
Garcia-Rio, F., Calle, M., Burgos, F., Casan, P., del Campo, F., Galdiz, J. B., … & Maestu, L. Q. (2013). Spirometry. Files of bronconeumologia, 49(9), 388-401.
Benitez-Pérez, R. E., Torre-Bouscoulet, L., Villca-Alas, N., Del-Rio-Hidalgo, R. F., Pérez-Padilla, R., Vázquez-García, J. C., … & Gochicoa-Rangel, L. (2016). Spirometry: recommendations and procedure. NCT Neumonology and Chest Surgery, 75(2), 173-190.