 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Asthma / December 2007peak flow readings
Hello ... can anyone tell me what a normal range of peak flow readings (peak expiratory flow rate) during a day would be? I believe I read that lung capacity/airflow normally varies somewhat during the day... Just wondering... mine will sometimes vary 70 L/min from morning to noon and again from noon to evening. Thanks in advance for any info! Julie C > Hello ... can anyone tell me what a normal range of peak flow readings > (peak expiratory flow rate) during a day would be? I believe I read > that lung capacity/airflow normally varies somewhat during the day... > > Just wondering... mine will sometimes vary 70 L/min from morning to noon > and again from noon to evening. When is/are maxima minima? Ted Hello ... can anyone tell me what a normal range of peak flow readings (peak expiratory flow rate) during a day would be? I believe I read that lung capacity/airflow normally varies somewhat during the day... Just wondering... mine will sometimes vary 70 L/min from morning to noon and again from noon to evening. Thanks in advance for any info! Julie C ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It depends on your age, gender and height. This site gives graphs. The numbers that go with colored lines refer to your height in cm. http://www.gp-training.net/pics/respiratory/pef.htm This one will calculate it for you. http://www.asthma.partners.org/Applets/PeakFLowPredicted.html Individual results can vary significantly so the best thing to do is measure your own and determine your own baseline. For instance, my peak flow is significantly higher than what the charts predict. People relying on he charts would underestimate how sick I am.  Signature00doc > Individual results can vary significantly so the best thing to do is measure > your own and determine your own baseline. For instance, my peak flow is > significantly higher than what the charts predict. People relying on he > charts would underestimate how sick I am. Every Dr. I have ever seen tends to look at peak flows on a minor level. They are much more interested in volume as well as the shape of the flow loops when charted. So why do people mention peak flows so much more often? > Every Dr. I have ever seen tends to look at peak flows on a minor level. > They are much more interested in volume as well as the shape of the > flow loops when charted. So why do people mention peak flows so much > more often? Unquestionably "volume as well as the shape of the flow loops when charted" is a better indicator but, AFAIK, that requires more sophisticated gear than we can afford. We can measure PEF with a hand held, inexpensive instrument at home and, while it isn't as good, it's better than nothing. I have COPD, first diagnosed in '95. I wrote software to track my PEF and have been so since then. I also have atrial fibrillation. As well as my PEF, I take my pulse morning and evening and record the data as well as whether the pulse was steady or irregular. Over the years I have tried various drugs and dosages. My graphs have always been most helpful to me and the doctors in deciding what works and what doesn't. Ted >> Every Dr. I have ever seen tends to look at peak flows on a minor level. >> They are much more interested in volume as well as the shape of the flow [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > held, inexpensive instrument at home and, while it isn't as good, it's > better than nothing. Precisely. The PEF correlates well with the fancier readings in most, but not all, people. It does not give you the information you need for initial diagnosis but is a useful tracking tool in most people. Signature00doc thanks for the info... I have looked at the charts and my max peak flows are also higher than for my height and age. My question has more to do with what is a normal variance during the day... my max is 560.. my min 410. (I realize my asthma isn't severe, but does affect my daily activities.) What I've seen after using the albuterol quite a bit or after a few nebulizer txmts, I may have a 470 at 8am, 550 at 12noon and then 470 or 480 at 10 pm... .. so I'm wondering if that is a normal daily change... or what is.. or if someone not having symptoms will usually have the same readings throughout the day. Sorry to be so wordy... just trying to explain my question better. JulieC "Julie C" <jewlyc@granospam.midco.net> wrote in message news:yZqdnUZRR6YH39PanZ2dnUVZ_tijnZ2d@midco.net... Hello ... can anyone tell me what a normal range of peak flow readings (peak expiratory flow rate) during a day would be? I believe I read that lung capacity/airflow normally varies somewhat during the day... Just wondering... mine will sometimes vary 70 L/min from morning to noon and again from noon to evening. Thanks in advance for any info! Julie C ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It depends on your age, gender and height. This site gives graphs. The numbers that go with colored lines refer to your height in cm. http://www.gp-training.net/pics/respiratory/pef.htm This one will calculate it for you. http://www.asthma.partners.org/Applets/PeakFLowPredicted.html Individual results can vary significantly so the best thing to do is measure your own and determine your own baseline. For instance, my peak flow is significantly higher than what the charts predict. People relying on he charts would underestimate how sick I am. -- 00doc thanks for the info... I have looked at the charts and my max peak flows are also higher than for my height and age. My question has more to do with what is a normal variance during the day... my max is 560.. my min 410. (I realize my asthma isn't severe, but does affect my daily activities.) What I've seen after using the albuterol quite a bit or after a few nebulizer txmts, I may have a 470 at 8am, 550 at 12noon and then 470 or 480 at 10 pm... .. so I'm wondering if that is a normal daily change... or what is.. or if someone not having symptoms will usually have the same readings throughout the day. Sorry to be so wordy... just trying to explain my question better. JulieC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That is also a good question. Variability in PF's is also considered a sign of poor control. 20% is the accepted limit but that can be tweaked based on experience if people track their numbers. With a max of 560 you are probably OK as long as it is not varying to below 450 - but again - you should use your own experience as a guide. If you find that more or less variability presages an attack adjust the plan accordingly. If you are getting readings of 410 (73% of max) and need to take albuterol several times a day to keep the readings above 450 (>80%) then you probably are not well controlled and need to improve your therapy - some combination of adding a preventative med or reducing a trigger. Signature00doc > That is also a good question. Variability in PF's is also considered a sign > of poor control. 20% is the accepted limit but that can be tweaked based on [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > -- > 00doc I didn't know that peak flow meters could show effectiveness of one's inhalers... My doctors never talked about that at all. How often per day should someone be testing, to get enough variability for it to mean something? And, can one get a peak flow meter other than through a doctor? Dragonfly I didn't know that peak flow meters could show effectiveness of one's inhalers... My doctors never talked about that at all. How often per day should someone be testing, to get enough variability for it to mean something? And, can one get a peak flow meter other than through a doctor? Dragonfly Hi Dragonfly, I've read that it's good to take a reading on the peak flow meter twice a day - AM & PM to give an indication on how well asthma is being controlled. I do not know where else to get a meter - I got one from an allergist. JC > I didn't know that peak flow meters could show effectiveness of one's > inhalers... My doctors never talked about that at all. How often per > day should someone be testing, to get enough variability for it to > mean something? And, can one get a peak flow meter other than through > a doctor? Go to http://www.dogpile.com/ and enter PEF meter into the search box. You'll get a bunch of entries where you can buy on-line. Alternatively, got to your local pharmacy and ask. I won't recommend one as I've had two different brands and was rather under-whelmed by both. Ted > I didn't know that peak flow meters could show effectiveness of one's > inhalers... My doctors never talked about that at all. How often per > day should someone be testing, to get enough variability for it to > mean something? And, can one get a peak flow meter other than through > a doctor? http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/MM00399 (How to use them) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/AS00022 ("Asthma: Use a peak flow meter to gain control") drugstore.com, froogle, ebay, bizrate.com. etc etc - they are not hard to find if you look. Any pharmacy should be able to sell you one. They are usually around $20. Signature00doc What I've seen after using the albuterol quite a bit or after a few nebulizer txmts, I may have a 470 at 8am, 550 at 12noon and then 470 or 480 at 10 pm... .. so I'm wondering if that is a normal daily change... or what is.. or if someone not having symptoms will usually have the same readings throughout the day. Sorry to be so wordy... just trying to explain my question better. JulieC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That is also a good question. Variability in PF's is also considered a sign of poor control. 20% is the accepted limit but that can be tweaked based on experience if people track their numbers. With a max of 560 you are probably OK as long as it is not varying to below 450 - but again - you should use your own experience as a guide. If you find that more or less variability presages an attack adjust the plan accordingly. If you are getting readings of 410 (73% of max) and need to take albuterol several times a day to keep the readings above 450 (>80%) then you probably are not well controlled and need to improve your therapy - some combination of adding a preventative med or reducing a trigger. -- 00doc Thanks for the input - that was very helpful. I deal with my family practitioner and do not get much guidance there, though she does listen and adjusts medication when I feel I need some additional help. JC |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.