RMS Helios 702 spirometer: what to know

Spirometry asks you to breathe into a mouthpiece while the device records airflow. You usually take a full breath and then blow out as hard and as long as instructed. The results help clinicians assess how easily air leaves the lungs and whether the pattern may fit conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The numbers need to be interpreted with your symptoms, examination and test quality; the device alone does not provide a diagnosis. The [Spirometer](/technology/spirometer/) is the measuring device, while [Spirometry](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/spirometry/) is the test.

Follow the clinic’s instructions about meals, smoking, exercise and inhalers, because these can affect the reading. Wear comfortable clothing and tell the tester if you are unwell, have chest pain, recently had surgery, or feel unable to perform a forceful breath. Sit upright, seal your lips around the mouthpiece and follow each instruction closely. Several attempts may be needed to check that the effort is consistent. Do not change prescribed inhalers unless the testing team tells you to.

Tell the tester immediately if you become very breathless, dizzy, faint, develop chest pain or feel unwell during the manoeuvres. Seek urgent medical help for severe breathlessness at rest, blue lips, confusion or inability to speak in full sentences. A mild cough or short-lived breathlessness can occur after forceful blowing, but persistent symptoms should be reported.

What question is this spirometry intended to answer? Should I use my inhaler before attending? Will I need a repeat test or a bronchodilator comparison? When and how will the results guide my treatment?