Doctors often prescribe their patients to undergo a study of FVD. What it is? What results are considered normal? What diseases and disorders can be diagnosed using this method? These questions interest many.
FVD - what is it?
FVD is an abbreviation that stands for “external respiration function”. Such a study allows you to evaluate the work of the respiratory system. For example, with his help, the doctor determines how much air enters the patient’s lungs and what goes out. In addition, during the test, you can analyze the change in air velocity in different parts of the respiratory system. Thus, the study helps to evaluate the ventilation abilities of the lungs.
The importance of HPF for modern medicine
In fact, the significance of this study is difficult to overestimate. Naturally, it is used to diagnose certain disorders of the respiratory system. But the range of application of the method is much wider. For example, spirometry is a mandatory, regular test for people working in hazardous conditions. In addition, the results of this analysis are used for expert assessment of a person’s working capacity, determination of his suitability for work in certain environmental conditions.
The study is used for dynamic observation, as it makes it possible to assess the rate of development of a particular disease, as well as the results of therapy. In some cases, HPF analysis is used to diagnose allergic diseases, because it allows you to track the effect of a substance on the respiratory tract. In some cases, mass spirometry of the population is carried out to determine the state of health of residents of certain geographical or ecological zones.
Indications for analysis
So, the study is recommended for patients with suspected bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis or any other chronic disease of the bronchopulmonary system. Indications for analysis are also chronic cough, frequent attacks of shortness of breath. In addition, the study is used to diagnose pulmonary vascular lesions, including pulmonary artery thrombosis, pulmonary hypertension, etc. The results of FVD are important for the proper treatment of some thoracic-diaphragmatic disorders, including obesity, accompanied by alveolar hypoventilation, as well as pleural mooring, various disorders posture and curvature of the spine, neuromuscular paralysis. In some cases, an analysis is prescribed to patients in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen treatment regimen.
How to prepare for the study
In order to obtain the most accurate results, it is necessary to comply with some recommendations before conducting the HPF. What are these training rules? In fact, everything is simple - you need to create the conditions for maximum free breathing. Spirometry is usually performed on an empty stomach. If the study was scheduled for afternoon or evening, then you can take light food, but no later than two hours before the test. In addition, you can not smoke 4-6 hours before the examination. The same applies to physical activity - at least a day before the HFD, the doctor recommends limiting physical activity, canceling workouts or morning jogging, etc. Some medications may affect the results of the study. Therefore, medications that can affect airway resistance, including drugs from the group of non-selective beta-blockers and bronchodilators, cannot be taken on the day of the procedure. In any case, be sure to tell the doctor which drugs you are taking.
Description of procedure
The study takes no more than an hour. To begin with, the doctor carefully measures the height and weight of the patient. After that, the examined person is put on a special clip on his nose - so he can only breathe through his mouth. The patient holds a special mouthpiece in his mouth through which he breathes - it is connected to a special sensor that captures all indicators. First, the doctor monitors the normal respiratory cycle. After this, the patient needs to perform a certain breathing maneuver - first take a deepest breath, then try to exhale sharply the maximum amount of air. A similar scheme must be repeated several times.
After about 15-20 minutes, the specialist can already give you the results of the HPF. The norm here depends on many factors, including gender. For example, the total lung capacity in men is on average 6.4 liters, and in women - 4.9 liters. In any case, the results of the analysis will need to be shown to the doctor, since only he knows how to correctly interpret the HPF. Decryption will be of great importance for drawing up a further treatment regimen.
Additional research
In the event that the classical spirometry scheme showed the presence of certain deviations, some additional types of HPF can be carried out. What are these analyzes? For example, if the patient has signs of some obstructive ventilation disorders, he is given a special drug from the group of bronchodilators before the study.
"FVD with a bronchodilator - what is it?" - you ask. It's simple: this medicine helps to expand the airways, after which the analysis is carried out again. This procedure makes it possible to assess the degree of reversibility of the detected violations. In some cases, the diffusion ability of the lungs is also examined - this analysis gives a fairly accurate assessment of the work of the alveolar-capillary membrane. Sometimes doctors also determine the strength of the respiratory muscles or the so-called lightness of the lungs.
Contraindications
Of course, this study has several contraindications, since not all patients can undergo it without harming their own health. Indeed, during various breathing maneuvers, tension of the respiratory muscles, an increased load on the bone-ligamentous apparatus of the chest, as well as an increase in intracranial, intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressure are observed.
Spirometry is contraindicated in patients who have previously undergone surgery, including ophthalmic surgery - in such cases, you need to wait at least six weeks. Contraindications also include myocardial infarction, stroke, stratified aneurysm and some other diseases of the circulatory system. The analysis is not carried out to evaluate the respiratory system of children of primary preschool age and the elderly (over 75 years). Patients with epilepsy, hearing impairment and mental disorders are also not prescribed.
Are side effects possible?
Many patients are interested in whether FVD analysis can cause any disturbance. What are these adverse reactions? How dangerous can the procedure be? In fact, the study, subject to all established rules, is practically safe for the patient. Since in order to obtain accurate results, a person must repeat several times breathing exercises with forced expiration during the procedure, slight weakness and dizziness may occur. Do not be afraid, as these adverse reactions disappear on their own after a few minutes. Some adverse events may appear during the analysis of the HPF with a breakdown. What are these symptoms? Bronchodilators can cause mild tremors in the limbs, and sometimes heart palpitations. But, again, these disorders go away on their own right after the procedure is completed.