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.
A person with a restrictive lung disorder (RLD) has difficulty expanding the lungs when drawing in breath. This causes a decrease in lung volume and forces the lungs to work harder. Both oxygenation and ventilation are negatively affected. Pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring of the lungs, falls under the umbrella of RLD. Here, the normal tissue of the lung is dotted with lesions of scar tissue, creating a honeycomb-like appearance. Pulmonary fibrosis is badly understood, normally gets worse with time and is frequently fatal. Fortunately, it is a rare condition.
Other conditions that contribute to restrictive lung disease include obesity, sarcoidosis (an autoimmune condition), scoliosis and neuromuscular diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and muscular dystrophy (MD). The primary presenting symptom that drives people to the doctor is almost always difficulty in breathing. Sarcoidosis is characterized by swollen and reddened tissue called granulomas. These mostly affect the skin and the lungs. Some people develop symptoms suddenly and recover spontaneously after a few months or years. Others never experience any symptoms; the condition is incidentally following an x-ray for another reason.
Obstructive lung disease (OLD) is characterized by inflamed and obstructed airways. OLD obstructs airflow, leading to difficulty exhaling and frequent trips to the hospital. Bronchitis, asthma and COPD are examples of obstructive lung diseases. A common feature of OLD is loss of the ability to exhale 70 percent of breath within one second.
Asthma is caused by inflammation of the airways. One of the most common respiratory problems, it normally presents with wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Other, less frequent, symptoms, are fatigue, rapid breathing and sighing. Asthma can 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.
A person with a restrictive lung disorder (RLD) has difficulty expanding the lungs when drawing in breath. This causes a decrease in lung volume and forces the lungs to work harder. Both oxygenation and ventilation are negatively affected. Pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring of the lungs, falls under the umbrella of RLD. Here, the normal tissue of the lung is dotted with lesions of scar tissue, creating a honeycomb-like appearance. Pulmonary fibrosis is badly understood, normally gets worse with time and is frequently fatal. Fortunately, it is a rare condition.
Other conditions that contribute to restrictive lung disease include obesity, sarcoidosis (an autoimmune condition), scoliosis and neuromuscular diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and muscular dystrophy (MD). The primary presenting symptom that drives people to the doctor is almost always difficulty in breathing. Sarcoidosis is characterized by swollen and reddened tissue called granulomas. These mostly affect the skin and the lungs. Some people develop symptoms suddenly and recover spontaneously after a few months or years. Others never experience any symptoms; the condition is incidentally following an x-ray for another reason.
Obstructive lung disease (OLD) is characterized by inflamed and obstructed airways. OLD obstructs airflow, leading to difficulty exhaling and frequent trips to the hospital. Bronchitis, asthma and COPD are examples of obstructive lung diseases. A common feature of OLD is loss of the ability to exhale 70 percent of breath within one second.
Asthma is caused by inflammation of the airways. One of the most common respiratory problems, it normally presents with wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Other, less frequent, symptoms, are fatigue, rapid breathing and sighing. Asthma can 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.