Resp Care
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Spirometric testing is one of the oldest clinical tests still in use today. It is a straightforward test that has the patient maximally exhale from total lung capacity. The key measurements are the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV(1)) and the maximum exhaled volume (vital capacity [VC]). ⋯ Using this measurement can diagnose the presence and severity of airway obstruction. This can be used to guide therapies and predict outcomes. Using spirometry to screen for obstructive lung disease, however, can be problematic, and the effect of screening on outcomes has yet to be demonstrated.