What to know about post-BD spirometry

During spirometry, you breathe into a spirometer through a mouthpiece. The test records how much air you can exhale and how quickly you can move it. You usually repeat the manoeuvre several times so the clinician can check the readings are consistent. A bronchodilator is then given according to the test plan, followed by repeat blows.

A change after the medicine may support an airflow pattern seen in asthma, while persistent obstruction can occur with COPD or other lung conditions. Results are interpreted with your symptoms, examination and medical history; one test does not explain every cause of cough or breathlessness.

Follow the clinic's instructions about inhalers, smoking, food and strenuous activity. Do not stop prescribed medicine unless the testing team has told you to. Wear comfortable clothing, bring your inhalers and tell the clinician about chest pain, recent illness, dizziness or breathing difficulty. You may feel briefly light-headed or tired from repeated forceful exhalation; tell the tester if this happens.

Tell the testing team immediately if you develop chest pain, severe breathlessness, faintness, wheezing that does not settle or a marked change from your usual breathing. After the appointment, seek urgent care for severe or worsening breathing difficulty, blue lips, confusion or inability to speak comfortably. Use your prescribed inhaler plan while seeking help.

Ask what the before-and-after measurements show, whether the result supports asthma or another condition, when to use inhaler therapy, and whether smoking cessation support could improve your lung health.