Spirometry Test in Lahore: Preparation, Procedure and Results

What is spirometry?

Spirometry is a non-invasive breathing test performed through a mouthpiece attached to a spirometer. You take a deep breath in, then blow out as hard, fast and completely as you can. The test measures forced airflow and exhaled volume; several coached attempts help the laboratory obtain a reliable result.

It can help investigate persistent cough, wheeze, breathlessness, suspected asthma, COPD and changes in respiratory health. A measurement is one part of a diagnosis and should be considered with your history, examination and other findings.

FEV1, FVC and the ratio

Reference values take account of factors such as age, height and sex. Test quality and the reason for testing matter alongside the numbers.

What happens during a spirometry test?

1. Staff check relevant health information, measure your height and explain the manoeuvre.
2. A nose clip may be fitted and you make a tight seal around a filtered mouthpiece.
3. You breathe in fully, then blow out hard, fast and for as long as instructed.
4. You repeat the manoeuvre so the laboratory can check consistency and quality.
5. If requested, you inhale a bronchodilator and repeat spirometry after the appropriate wait.

Simple spirometry commonly takes about 15–30 minutes. Bronchodilator testing or extra attempts can extend the visit. Forceful breathing can briefly cause coughing or light-headedness; staff can give you time to recover between efforts.

What does a bronchodilator response show?

The clinician compares measurements before and after an inhaled bronchodilator to see whether airflow improves. Improvement can support variable airflow obstruction but does not diagnose asthma on its own. No significant change at one appointment does not rule asthma out.

How should I prepare?

Follow the instructions from your laboratory or referring clinician. Common advice includes:

• Wear loose clothing and avoid a large meal shortly before the test.
• Avoid smoking, vaping and vigorous exercise before the appointment, as instructed.
• Bring a list of medicines and inhalers, plus previous PFT reports or relevant imaging.
• Tell the team about a recent respiratory infection and arrive with time to rest.

Do not stop prescribed inhalers or other medicines unless your clinic or referring doctor specifically tells you to. Whether any inhaler should be withheld depends on the medicine and the purpose of the test; fixed withholding times are not suitable advice for everyone.

When should I speak to the clinic before testing?

Tell the clinic about recent heart attack, stroke, chest or abdominal surgery, eye surgery, collapsed lung, significant coughing of blood, severe respiratory infection, severe chest pain, fainting or acute breathlessness. Forceful exhalation briefly increases pressure in the chest, abdomen and eyes. The clinician will decide if testing should proceed, be modified or be postponed.

What can the results mean?

Obstructive pattern

A reduced FEV1/FVC ratio, assessed against an appropriate lower limit of normal, can indicate airflow obstruction. Asthma, COPD and other conditions can produce this pattern; a pattern alone is not a diagnosis.

Low FVC and possible restriction

A low FVC may raise the possibility of restriction, but spirometry alone cannot confirm a restrictive defect. Air trapping, incomplete inhalation or test technique can also lower FVC. A reduced total lung capacity measured by lung-volume testing is needed to confirm restriction.

Normal spirometry

A normal result does not exclude all respiratory conditions. Asthma can be intermittent or controlled by treatment, and other causes of breathlessness may need assessment. Your clinician may consider repeat spirometry or other tests depending on the question.

At the Australian Pulmonary Function Laboratory in DHA Phase 5, Lahore, the test is part of a broader lung-function service. See the main PFT guide for how different tests can fit together.

Related lung-function guides

Lung volumes and DLCO answer different questions. Their explanations remain separate from this spirometry guide.

For specialist assessment, see pulmonology at Australian Polyclinic and the profile of Dr G Sarwar Chaudhry.

Frequently asked questions