Celebrate Lung Health Day with Life-Saving Test, say Respiratory Therapists
For Immediate Release
IRVING, TX (October 20, 2005) – Wednesday is Lung Health Day, and respiratory therapists from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) believe it's a great opportunity for everyone to become more familiar with a simple test that can diagnose lung problems in their earliest and most treatable stages.
“Spirometry is a simple breathing test that measures airflow through the lungs,” explains Maddie Mellone, RRT, a respiratory therapist from Maywood , NJ . While the test has been around for years, it's mainly been used in hospitals and pulmonary function laboratories to measure the progression of lung disease in people who are already diagnosed with a respiratory condition.
Thanks to the work of the AARC and the National Lung Health Education Program, however, many physicians are now offering this life-saving test in their offices, testing their patients' lungs much the way they've always tested their blood pressure, temperature, and other vital signs.
The test is often performed by a respiratory therapist, and it's nothing to be afraid of, reports Mellone. “ A respiratory therapist will use a machine with a mouthpiece and ask you to take a deep breath in and then blow out as fast and as much as you can, for approximately six seconds, followed by another deep breath in.”
The most important factor for patients to remember is to give their best effort. “The test,” emphasizes Mellone, “is only accurate if an excellent effort is given.”
Who should take this test? Mellone says spirometry is most useful in people who smoke or who have respiratory symptoms, such as breathlessness or a chronic cough, as they are at significantly greater risk for developing a respiratory disease like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. COPD is currently the nation's fourth largest killer, but an early diagnosis can make a big difference in a person's prognosis.
“The benefit of having spirometry is to catch decreased lung function early,” says Mellone. “It can be an incentive to quit smoking both if the test is normal and if it is not.”
While smokers will remain at increased risk for respiratory disease even if the results are normal, Mellone says it's always better to “quit while you're ahead.” If results are abnormal, the test serves as an important warning that quitting now is paramount to minimizing the ill effects of the habit.
What if your doctor doesn't offer spirometry in his office? Mellone says patients should inquire about the test and where to take it. “If your physician does not offer this test, you can ask for a referral to a pulmonologist – a doctor who specializes in the lungs – or ask for a prescription for the test and make an appointment at a nearby hospital to have it done.” As with any other medical procedure, it's a good idea to check with your insurance company as well, to make sure they will cover the cost of the test.
Respiratory Therapists (RTs) are specially trained and licensed respiratory health care professionals assisting physicians in diagnosis, treatment, and management of respiratory diseases. RTs provide care in hospitals, outpatient centers, physicians' offices, skilled nursing facilities, and patients' homes.
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is a not-for-profit, professional organization, consisting of 37,000 respiratory therapists, physicians, and other health care professionals. AARC is dedicated to assisting persons with respiratory diseases receive safe and effective respiratory care.
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Contact: Beth Binkley
Binkley@aarc.org
American Association For Respiratory Care
9425 N MacArthur Blvd, Suite 100 , Irving , TX 75063
972-406-4657, 927-243-2272
Test Your Lungs – Know Your Numbers!
“Test Your Lungs – Know Your Numbers!” is the battle cry of the National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP), a group established several years ago with the support of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) and other national health organizations to promote greater use of spirometry in physicians' offices. Here's what you need to know about this simple test:
Spirometry can be performed quickly and easily in the doctor's office.
The test requires the patient to take a deep breath, then blow out through a mouthpiece as fast and hard as possible for six seconds, followed by another deep breath.
Spirometry measures the airflow through the lungs. Abnormal results mean air is not getting through as well as it should and could indicate the presence of lung disease.
Abnormal spirometry is more likely in people who smoke than people who don't.
Quitting smoking is vital for anyone with abnormal results.
Medications aimed at decreasing swelling and wheezing may also benefit people with abnormal spirometry.
For more information on spirometry, visit the AARC's consumer web site, www.yourlunghealth.org , or the NLHEP's web site, www.nlhep.org .
