Pulmonary Function Test

I had a full - on Pulmonary Function Stress Test preceded by a spirometry test yesterday.  -  I was wired into this, that, EKG belt, mouthpiece, BP cuff, Oxygen sensor and a few other items while on a treadmill. HMMMM--- good thing treadmill use is part of my daily exercise regime!  Treadmill started slowly, - 1 mph -  @ no incline, and for the next 15 minutes it was ramped up to 4 mph at an incline of 15.  Yeah, it got me huffin' and puffin'  ---- hardest part was hanging on!  I can see some folks having trouble performing this exam.  Test was called for NOT by any pulmonologist but, my cardiologist.  A cardiologist?  Will he need a pulmonologist to explain the majority of the ensuing report to him?

2 Comments

A Good thing

by Gotrhythm - 2018-11-17 19:00:43

The heart and lungs work together so jointly that problems with one can cause symptoms in the other. I had chest pain for six years--and innumerable caridiac function tests, all normal--before an on-the-ball caridiolgist ordered lung function tests.

It turned out I have asthma. I don't wheeze, my chest always sounds "clear." But the form my asthma attack takes is chest pain and SOB.

Be grateful your cardiologist ordered a pulmonologist's test. Maybe you won't have to wait 6 years to get a correct diagnosis for whatever is causing your symptoms.

O2 exchange....

by BOBTHOM - 2018-11-20 12:01:46

Pulmonolgist only looks at lung function.  Cardiologist looks at heart function and how well blood is pumped to the lungs and the rest of the body.  That gives them an indication of how well the heart is pumping.  A badly pumping heart will pump blood more slowly giving the body to much time to extract the O2 from the blood, causing a lower disolved O2 reading.  Interesting subjects to research.  Always more to learn!   Hope the test went well and they figured out your issues.

You know you're wired when...

Your signature looks like an EKG.

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