Lung Function Testing – Patient Information

Preparing for your Lung Function Test

Lung function tests involve seated measurements involving specific manoeuvres to test various aspects of your breathing and exercise capacity.

Complex lung function

This is the standard lung function test, usually performed on initial assessment of breathlessness or a suspected breathing disorder (including sleep-related breathing disorders). This is a static test – it doesn’t involve exercise.

If safe to do so or unless otherwise instructed by your Doctor, reliever/rescue inhalers should be avoided 4 hours prior to your scheduled test eg – Ventolin (Salbutamol), Atrovent, Bricanyl, Asmol and Airomir. If you are usually on preventer medications, these should be continued as usual (unless advised by your doctor to withhold prior to testing). If you are uncertain, please contact the rooms on 07 3123 5350.

Spirometry and Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)

Spirometry and FeNO are key diagnostic tests used in the assessment and treatment of allergic/eosinophilic airway disease such as asthma.

Follow the same steps above for Complex lung function and:

  • No food or drink 1 hour prior
  • Avoid foods high in nitrates 2 hours prior:
    • Vegetables – e.g. Leafy greens, beets, carrots
    • Fruit – e.g. citrus fruits, watermelon, berries
    • Meat – Red meat, processed meat, bacon, ham, salami etc
Mannitol Bronchorovocation

Information on the mannitol bronchoprovocation test, used in the assessment of suspected asthma is available here

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)

Why your doctor wants you to perform a CPET?

The purpose of a CPET is to evaluate a range of physiological responses to exercise. There are several reasons to perform a CPET including in the assessment of breathlessness, assessment of respiratory and cardiac disease and perioperative fitness assessment.

What the test will include:

  • This is a maximal effort test and will require you to pedal on a stationary bike at increasing workloads.
  • You will be breathing through a mouthpiece to measure your ventilation (exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide).
  • You will also be attached to an Electrocardiogram (ECG) which will measure your heart activity.
  • There will be a finger probe to measure your heart rate and oxygen levels and the supervising doctor will be taking blood pressure measurements throughout the test.

The test is designed to run around 5-10 minutes, but we will allow 45 minutes (approximately 15 minutes to setup, 15 minutes to conduct test, 15 minutes recovery). If the test has been requested by one of our accredited physicians, a follow-up consultation will occur regarding the results immediately after the recovery period. If the test has been requested by an external medical practitioner, the results will be sent to that doctor the same day and we ask that you make an appointment with that doctor to discuss the results.

Test preparation:

  • Avoid smoking or consuming alcohol.
  • Do not perform vigorous exercise within 30 minutes prior to test.
  • Wear comfortable clothing (that you can exercise in) and closed in shoes.
  • Avoid eating a large meal within the 2hrs prior to the test.

If you are unsure about any part of the test or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us on 07 3123 5350.