Peak flow how is it measured

Not all healthcare providers recommend peak flow meters to help children and adults manage their asthma. Many healthcare providers believe a peak flow meter may be of most help for people with moderate and severe asthma.

If your asthma is mild or you do not use daily medication, a peak flow meter may not be useful for your asthma management. Schools may request a peak flow meter for your child so they can help monitor your child's asthma symptoms. Peak flow meter measurements can help your healthcare provider make decisions about your treatment and adjust your medicines, and the measurements also can alert you when your asthma symptoms are worsening. Asthma sometimes changes gradually.

Your peak flow may show those changes before you feel them. Peak flow readings can show you when to start following the steps on your asthma action plan that you developed with your healthcare provider. It can help you determine the severity of the episode; decide when to use your rescue medicine; and decide when to seek emergency care. A peak flow meter may help you and your healthcare provider identify causes of your asthma at work, home or play, and it can help parents determine what might be triggering their child's asthma.

Step 1 : Before each use, make sure the sliding marker or arrow on the Peak Flow Meter is at the bottom of the numbered scale zero or the lowest number on the scale.

Step 2 : Stand up straight. Remove gum or any food from your mouth. Take a deep breath as deep as you can. Put the mouthpiece of the peak flow meter into your mouth. Close your lips tightly around the mouthpiece. Be sure to keep your tongue away from the mouthpiece. In one breath, blow out as hard and as quickly as possible. Instead of slowly blowing, blow a fast, hard blast until you have emptied out nearly all of the air from your lungs. Step 3 : The force of the air coming out of your lungs causes the marker to move along the numbered scale.

Note the number on a piece of paper. Step 4 : Repeat the entire routine three times. You know you have done the routine correctly when the numbers from all three tries are very close together. Step 5 : Record the highest of the three ratings. Do not calculate an average. A peak flow meter is a portable, easy-to-use device that measures how well your lungs are able to expel air. By blowing a quick blast of air through a mouthpiece on one end, the peak flow meter can measure the force of air in liters per minute and give you a reading on a built-in numbered scale.

If you have asthma, your doctor may recommend that you use a peak flow meter to help track your asthma control. Regular use of a peak flow meter can help keep tabs on your asthma by detecting airway narrowing even before you feel any symptoms, giving you time to adjust your medication or take other steps before your symptoms get worse. A peak flow meter can be useful for adults and children as young as 5. A peak flow meter allows you to measure day-to-day changes in your breathing.

Using a peak flow meter can help you:. Work with your doctor to make sure you get the right type of peak flow meter. Peak flow meters are available over-the-counter and can be purchased at a pharmacy. There are several types of peak flow meters available, and all of them work basically the same way: You blow a fast, hard breath into a mouthpiece and record the resulting score.

For the most accurate reading, be sure your peak flow meter is clean and, if applicable, fully charged. To get accurate readings, make sure you know how to use your peak flow meter properly. Ask your doctor or other health care professionals to watch you use it. It can give you and your healthcare provider information about how open the airways are in your lungs. The PFM can detect small changes in the large airways before you start to wheeze. Using a PFM every day will let you know when your peak flows are starting to drop.

This allows you to make early changes in your medicine or routine to help keep asthma symptoms from getting worse. The PFM can also identify the reading at which you need to call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room. Your healthcare provider may not advise you use a PFM unless your asthma is moderate or severe and you are managing it with medicine. PFM can also be used to assess other lung problems, such as:. This is a chronic lung condition that affects the smallest air sacks in the lungs alveoli.

Chronic bronchitis. This is long-term inflammation of the bronchi. It creates excess mucous and a chronic cough. Use of a different type or brand of peak flow meter, as measurements may vary among brands and types of meters.

Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure to you. Ask him or her any questions you have. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives permission to do the procedure.

Read the form carefully. Ask questions if anything is not clear. Tell your healthcare provider if you take any medicines. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Before starting daily peak flow meter measuring, your healthcare provider may have you follow a detailed schedule over 2 to 3 weeks. This value will be used as a baseline for your daily measurements. Peak flow measurement is done 1 or more times daily at the same time of day, or whenever you are having early signs of an asthma attack. Or you should use it when directed by your healthcare provider. Use the peak flow meter PFM before taking asthma medicine.

A peak flow meter can help you figure out:. A peak flow meter can help you manage asthma. It can give you and your healthcare provider information about how open the airways are in your lungs.

The PFM can find small changes in the large airways before you start to wheeze. Using a PFM every day will let you know when your peak flows are starting to drop. This lets you make early changes in your medicine or routine. This can help you keep asthma symptoms from getting worse. The PFM can also find the reading at which you need to call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room. Your provider may not advise you use a PFM unless your asthma is moderate or severe and you are managing it with medicine.

PFM can also be used to assess other lung problems, such as:. This is also known as COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , a chronic lung condition that affects the smallest air sacs in the lungs alveoli.

Chronic bronchitis. This is long-term inflammation of the bronchi. It creates too much mucus and a chronic cough. Certain factors may interfere with the accuracy of peak flow measurement, such as:. Using a different type or brand of peak flow meter measurements may vary among brands and types of meters.

Your healthcare provider will explain the test to you. Ask them any questions you have. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives permission to do the test. Read the form carefully. Ask questions if anything is not clear. Tell your healthcare provider if you take any medicines.

This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Before starting daily peak flow meter measuring, your healthcare provider may have you follow a detailed schedule for 2 to 3 weeks. This is done to find your personal best peak flow measurement. This value will be used as a baseline for your daily measurements.

The test should be done at the same time every day. Lung function may change a little at different times over a regular day. Peak flow measurement is done 1 or more times daily at the same time of day. Or it is done whenever you are having early signs of an asthma attack.