Benefits of and barriers to the widespread use of spirometry.
OBJECTIVE
To review the basis for spirometry, its benefits in diagnosing and managing both acute and chronic pulmonary disorders with emphasis on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and to critically examine the barriers to its widespread use.


RESULTS
A number of recent articles have established the scientific basis for spirometry in the early identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in improving smoking cessation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Economic and other considerations are reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Spirometry is an important office diagnostic device that should be used by all primary care and most specialist physicians. Spirometry is to dyspnea as the electrocardiogram is to chest pain.
Petty
Thomas L
TL
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80203-3154, USA. tlpdoc@aol.com
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods; D013147:Spirometry / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States