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80 to 100 percent of the usual or normal peak flow readings are clear. A peak flow reading in the green zone indicates that the asthma is under good control. Yellow Zone 50 to 79 percent of the usual or normal peak flow readings Indicates caution. It may mean respiratory airways are narrowing and additional medication may be required. Red Zone
MMEF or MEF stands for maximal (mid-)expiratory flow and is the peak of expiratory flow as taken from the flow-volume curve and measured in liters per second. It should theoretically be identical to peak expiratory flow (PEF), which is, however, generally measured by a peak flow meter and given in liters per minute. [16]
A spirometer is a device used to measure timed expired and inspired volumes, and can be used to help diagnose asthma. A peak flow meter is a hand-held device which measures how fast a person can exhale – peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) – and is a reliable test for occupational asthma. [16]
The peak expiratory flow can be measured at the bedside; in acute severe asthma, the flow is less than 50% of a person's normal or predicted flow. [6] Very severe acute asthma (termed "near-fatal" as there is an immediate risk to life) is characterised by a peak flow of less than 33% predicted, oxygen saturations below 92% or cyanosis (blue ...
Asthma phenotyping and endotyping has emerged as a novel approach to asthma classification inspired by precision medicine which separates the clinical presentations of asthma, or asthma phenotypes, from their underlying causes, or asthma endotypes. The best-supported endotypic distinction is the type 2-high/type 2-low distinction.
The 2005 Oxford Textbook of Medicine distinguishes type 1 brittle asthma by "persistent daily chaotic variability in peak flow (usually greater than 40 per cent diurnal variation in PEFR more than 50 per cent of the time)", while type 2 is identified by "sporadic sudden falls in PEFR against a background of usually well-controlled asthma with normal or near normal lung function". [8]
A peak flow meter can record variations in the severity of asthma over time. Spirometry, a measurement of lung function, can provide an assessment of the severity, reversibility, and variability of airflow limitation, and help confirm the diagnosis of asthma. [3]
Lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema may be ruled out from the tests. In addition, a spirometer often is used for finding the cause of shortness of breath, assessing the effect of contaminants on lung function, the effect of medication, and evaluating progress for disease treatment.