Depending on the nature of the Spirometry test being performed, you may need to give your patient specific instructions before they attend their appointment.

These instructions include:

• Not to wear tight clothing for your appointment as this constricts your lungs
• Not to smoke for at least 1 hour before your appointment
• Not to take vigorous exercise, 30 minutes before your appointment
• Not to have a heavy meal up to 2 hours prior to your appointment
• Not to consume alcohol for a minimum of 4 hours

Of course, if the nature of the spirometry test is ad hoc (for example, spirometry performed on the day of clinic appointment on request of the consultant), you may not be able to give your patient pre-test instructions. If this is the case, appropriate documentation of the patient’s current state is vital for correct interpretation. For example, if the patient had a cigarette one hour before the test, your technical report needs to highlight this; this patient had a cigarette one hour before the test.