Pulmonary function tests

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Spirometry

PFTs; Spirometry; Spirogram; Lung function tests

The risk is minimal for most people. There is a small risk of collapsed lung in people with a certain type of lung disease. The test should not be given to a person who has experienced a recent heart attack, or who has certain other types of heart disease.

Cooperation from the patient performing the test is crucial in providing accurate results. A poor seal around the mouthpiece of the spirometer can give poor results that do not permit interpretation. Do not smoke before the test.

Review Date: 02/27/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.