[Peak flow monitoring of patients with asthma. 2. Practical use].
Despite its simplicity, peak flow monitoring (PEFM) has proved to be a valuable method of investigation of the degree of severity of bronchial asthma and the effect of treatment and it has, therefore, been employed in a series of scientific investigations and testing of medicaments. On account of its simplicity, the method is suitable for outpatient monitoring of asthmatic patients in general practice and it can provide a valuable objective assessment of pulmonary function to supplement clinical assessment and the patient's symptoms. Employment of PEFM as a predictor of the short-term of long-term prognosis is good on a group basis but unsatisfactory in prediction of the prognosis for the individual patient. Although a series of sources of error are present, patients can achieve reliable results of measurements after meticulous instruction.
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D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D011379:Prognosis
Peak flow monitorering af astmatikere. 2. Praktisk anvendelse.