Spirometry is the most common type of test for examining lung function. It measures the volume and speed of air breathed in and out by the lungs. The spirometer is an essential tool in assessing conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis. A spirogram can differentiate between two types of abnormal breathing patterns, restrictive and obstructive.
In persons suffering from restrictive lung disease (RLD), the expansion of the lungs is impaired when breathing in. This causes a decrease in lung volume, making it more difficult for the person to breathe, impairing both oxygenation and ventilation. One type of condition underlying RLD is pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is associated with scarring of the lungs, resulting in a honeycomb-like appearance. While rare, the disease is poorly understood and is frequently fatal.
Other disorders that fall under the umbrella of RLD include the autoimmune condition, sarcoidosis; myscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and obesity. Most patients present initially with difficulty breathing. Sarcoidosis is recognized by red, swollen lesions known as granulomas, mostly affecting the lungs and the skin. Some patients may suddenly develop symptoms that disappear spontaneously. Other people may never know they have sarcoidosis until they have an x-ray for another condition.
The main features of obstructive lung disorders are obstructed and reddened airways. Airflow is obstructed, resulting in difficulty breathing out and, inevitably, numerous visits to the hospital. A diagnostic feature of OLD is the inability to expire 70% of breath in one second. Examples of OLD include COPD, bronchitis and asthma.
One of the most common respiratory ailments, asthma most often features wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. Less commonly, patients experience fatigue, rapid breathing and appear to sigh frequently. Occasionally, asthma may be life-threatening.
Cystic fibrosis (CF), a form of OLD, affects not only the lungs, but also the pancreas, intestine and liver. The most serious symptom is difficulty breathing. Advances in screening, diagnosis and treatment have resulted in a considerably improved prognosis for individuals with CF. In 1959, the the median age of survival was six months. By 2008, this had to risen to 37.5 years in the United States and, in Canada, from 24 to 47.7 in the years between 1982 and 2007. In Russia, where medical treatment is expensive and lung transplants are not performed, the median age of survival is 25 years of age.
The term COPD covers conditions like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the delicate tissues lining the lungs become irreversibly damaged, most commonly from exposure to cigarette smoke. This limits the person's ability to exhale. While there is no cure for emphysema, smoking cessation will reduce disease progression.
Spirometers are essential devices for diagnosing both restrictive and obstructive lung conditions. Obstructive lung diseases include COPD, bronchitis and asthma. Restrictive lung disorders refer to sarcoidosis, muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pulmonary fibrosis and obesity hyperventilation syndrome.
In persons suffering from restrictive lung disease (RLD), the expansion of the lungs is impaired when breathing in. This causes a decrease in lung volume, making it more difficult for the person to breathe, impairing both oxygenation and ventilation. One type of condition underlying RLD is pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is associated with scarring of the lungs, resulting in a honeycomb-like appearance. While rare, the disease is poorly understood and is frequently fatal.
Other disorders that fall under the umbrella of RLD include the autoimmune condition, sarcoidosis; myscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and obesity. Most patients present initially with difficulty breathing. Sarcoidosis is recognized by red, swollen lesions known as granulomas, mostly affecting the lungs and the skin. Some patients may suddenly develop symptoms that disappear spontaneously. Other people may never know they have sarcoidosis until they have an x-ray for another condition.
The main features of obstructive lung disorders are obstructed and reddened airways. Airflow is obstructed, resulting in difficulty breathing out and, inevitably, numerous visits to the hospital. A diagnostic feature of OLD is the inability to expire 70% of breath in one second. Examples of OLD include COPD, bronchitis and asthma.
One of the most common respiratory ailments, asthma most often features wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. Less commonly, patients experience fatigue, rapid breathing and appear to sigh frequently. Occasionally, asthma may be life-threatening.
Cystic fibrosis (CF), a form of OLD, affects not only the lungs, but also the pancreas, intestine and liver. The most serious symptom is difficulty breathing. Advances in screening, diagnosis and treatment have resulted in a considerably improved prognosis for individuals with CF. In 1959, the the median age of survival was six months. By 2008, this had to risen to 37.5 years in the United States and, in Canada, from 24 to 47.7 in the years between 1982 and 2007. In Russia, where medical treatment is expensive and lung transplants are not performed, the median age of survival is 25 years of age.
The term COPD covers conditions like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the delicate tissues lining the lungs become irreversibly damaged, most commonly from exposure to cigarette smoke. This limits the person's ability to exhale. While there is no cure for emphysema, smoking cessation will reduce disease progression.
Spirometers are essential devices for diagnosing both restrictive and obstructive lung conditions. Obstructive lung diseases include COPD, bronchitis and asthma. Restrictive lung disorders refer to sarcoidosis, muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pulmonary fibrosis and obesity hyperventilation syndrome.
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