COPD - Diagnosis

• COPD  - Diagnosis
• Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are breathing tests to find out how well you move air in and out of your lungs and how well oxygen enters your body. The most common PFT's are spirometry, diffusion studies and body plethysmography.

 

Sometimes only one test is done, other times all tests will be scheduled, often on the same day.

 

Spirometry is the most commonly ordered test to find out COPD. This test is done by having you take in a deep breath and blow hard into a tube connected to a machine. The machine is called a spirometer. This machine measures the amount of air you can move in and out of your lungs. It usually takes 30 minutes to complete this test.

 

The spirometry test is often repeated after giving you breathing medications to find out how much improvement you get with these medications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Reference:

ATS PATIENT INFORMATION SERIES & PATIENT HEALTH SERIES
http://patients.thoracic.org/information-series/en/resources/pulmonary-function-tests-in-copd.pdf

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