Spirometry, for FEV1 or other measurements, requires your cooperation and effort, and it is considered safe. Using another person's at-home spirometer the device used to measure FEV1 is not advised, as it can expose you to contagious organisms that may lead to infection.
Prior to having your FEV1 measured, your medical team will provide you with instructions regarding your medications. What you take can change your results, and your healthcare provider may want to assess your respiratory function with or without it.
Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about any new health issues before your test is scheduled. For example, an infection can affect your results, and your team may want to re-schedule your test after your infection has cleared.
It is also important that you let your healthcare provider know if you smoke and how much , as smoking affects your expiratory abilities. An FEV1 test should take about 10 minutes. However, you will likely also have other PFTs, so it is a good idea to check about the anticipated duration of the complete set of tests you'll be getting in advance. Additional testing, such as imaging, can result in your appointment lasting a few hours. You will have your FEV1 test done either at your healthcare provider's office or a pulmonary function testing laboratory.
Be sure to wear loose comfortable clothing. When you have this test, it is important that you are able to breathe without any restrictions, such as a tight belt or collar. You can eat and drink as usual prior to having your FEV1 test. The cost of your FEV1 test may be covered by health insurance. However, this is not always the case, and you may be required to pay a co-pay or the whole cost of the test. Be sure to have the order for your test with you when you go to have your FEV1 measured if it hasn't been filed electronically.
You should also bring a form of identification, your insurance card, and a method of payment. In addition to also bringing a list of all the medications you take, bring any prescribed for your pulmonary condition with you as well most importantly, your inhalers. You will be asked to sit in a chair and begin by breathing comfortably. You will then be given specific instructions regarding how to perform the test, such as when to inhale and exhale, and how to ensure maximal effort.
A clip will then be placed over your nose. A spirometer has a tube that you must seal your lips tightly over.
Once you do, you will be instructed to inhale as deeply as possible and exhale as forcefully as you can. Your exhaled air volume will be measured at one second. Your team may also measure your total air volume exhaled. These readings will be instantly displayed. The procedure is repeated at least three times to obtain a consistent and average value. After your measurements are taken, you may have the whole test repeated after you use a bronchodilator —a type of medication that opens your airways.
The difference in your lung function with and without a bronchodilator helps identify whether this treatment has a substantial effect on your respiratory function. You should feel fine after your FEV1 test, and you will be able to continue with your usual daily activities.
Rarely, the test can make you feel a bit out of breath due to the effort exerted. If you feel any discomfort, tiredness, dizziness, or shortness of breath, be sure to tell your medical team before you go home.
Your FEV1 is compared against predicted values, which are the average readings that would be expected in a healthy person of similar age, gender, body size, and ethnicity. The percentage of FEV1 reduction can be used as a guideline to assess the severity of your disease.
While FVC is reduced to about the same degree in obstructive and restrictive lung disease, FEV1 is more severely diminished in obstructive lung disease. Depending on your test results, your medical team may also obtain additional testing to assess a pulmonary condition. FVC shows the amount of air that a person can breathe out quickly and forcefully after a deep breath. As with FEV1 readings, the FVC results are compared with average values from healthy individuals of the same age, height, and weight as the person undergoing testing.
It may be a sign of COPD. To do this, the person will need to calculate the FEV1 reading as a percentage of the predicted value for healthy individuals of the same age, gender, height, and race. COPD is a progressive condition, meaning that it worsens over time.
Follow-up pulmonary function tests are carried out in people with COPD to track how the condition progresses, which varies from person to person. The results of these tests will help the individual and the doctor understand how COPD is progressing over time.
Individuals who smoke may require more testing, as their symptoms are more likely to progress when compared with people who do not smoke. People with COPD should regularly attend medical appointments and complete recommended pulmonary function tests. There are other steps an individual with COPD can take to relieve symptoms and slow disease progression. These include:. It is also vital to inform a doctor if a person notices any changes in symptoms. Symptoms of COPD flare-ups include worsening:.
FEV1 is a useful measurement that is taken during a pulmonary function test. People who smoke may require more frequent testing. Author: Healthwise Staff.
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