Report of a newly redesigned Peak Flow Whistle.
A redesigned Peak Flow Whistle is described. It was evaluated and compared to the Wright Peak Flow Meter (WPFM) and the Vitalograph Pulmonary Monitor (VPM) using a laboratory flow system. These devices were evaluated for accuracy at steady flows, resistance characteristics, measurement of drift and dynamic accuracy. All devices tested correlated to a significant degree for accuracy at steady flows. The resistance of the WPFM and VPM increased with higher flows, whereas the Cardboard Peak Flow Whistle (CPFW) decreased. After pulsing the CPFW did not show any drift in calibration. The dynamic accuracy of the CPFW was excellent. Thus the accuracy of the CPFW and its lower cost makes it a practical device for measuring peak flows.
D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*