Sierra Rose Family Physicians Medical Group, Inc. in Roseville, California, is a full-service primary care practice offering many in-office diagnostic tests to assess health and disease risk, including spirometry. The board-certified family physicians, Ernestina Agresti, DO, and Linda Agresti, DO, may request spirometry testing to diagnose or monitor a lung condition. For comprehensive primary care, call the office to make an appointment.

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What is spirometry?

Spirometry is an in-office test that assesses lung function. During the test, your primary care physician measures the amount of air you breathe in, the amount of air you exhale, and how fast you can expel air from your lungs.

Your spirometry test includes:

Forced vital capacity (FVC)

FVC measures the amount of air you breathe out after taking a deep breath. An abnormally low FVC means your breathing is restricted.

Forced expiratory volume (FEV)

FEV measures the amount of air you can force out of your lungs in one second and determines the severity of your lung condition.

Who needs spirometry testing?

You may benefit from spirometry testing if you show signs and symptoms of a lung condition, such as shortness of breath or wheezing. The test may help diagnose:

  • Asthma
  • Chronic pulmonary obstructive disease
  • Emphysema
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Chronic bronchitis

The primary care physicians at Sierra Rose Family Physicians Medical Group, Inc. may also recommend a spirometry test if you have a lung disease. Your provider uses the test to monitor your disease and assess the effectiveness of your treatment.

Sierra Rose Family Physicians Medical Group, Inc. also performs pre-op physicals and may conduct a spirometry test before surgery to ensure your lungs are strong enough to handle the stress of the procedure.

What happens during a spirometry test?

Your spirometry test is a painless, in-office procedure that takes about 15 minutes. During your test, your provider places a clip over your nose to close your nostrils and asks you to take a deep breath in and then exhale into a tube as hard as you can for several seconds.

You repeat the test at least three times and your final results are based on the measure with the highest value. If the results of each test are too varied, your provider repeats the test.

In some cases, your primary care physician at Sierra Rose Family Physicians Medical Group, Inc. may provide an inhaled medication to open your lungs after your first round of spirometry testing and then repeat the test. Your provider then compares the results of the two tests to determine if the medication improved lung function.

Sierra Rose Family Physicians Medical Group, Inc. offers many in-office tests to diagnose and treat health conditions. To schedule an appointment to learn more about spirometry, contact the office by phone.