COPD Diagnosis

The doctor or nurse will examine you.
You may have to do some simple breathing tests.
They will ask you about your
breathing and your health.
They will ask about your home
and the places you have worked.
• If COPD is not too bad, it is called Mild COPD.
• If COPD is getting bad, it is called Moderate COPD.
• If COPD is very bad, it is called Severe COPD.
COPD is diagnosed with a simple breathing test called spirometry.
This test is easy and painless.
You will be asked to breathe hard into a rubber tube
connected to a machine called α spirometer.

A diagnosis of COPD is confirmed by spirometry, a test that measures the amount of air you are able to blow out of your lungs and how fast you can do it. The test uses a device called a spirometer.

If doing simple daily tasks makes you feel short of breath, ask your health professional about getting a spirometry test.
Spirometry is the most common breathing test used to confirm a diagnosis of COPD. The test involves blowing as long and hard as you can into a tube connected to a (spirometry) machine. The machine assesses how well your lungs work by measuring how much air you can inhale, how much you can exhale and how quickly you can exhale. The results will let your doctor know if you have COPD or another lung condition such as asthma.
If you are referred for a spirometry test, you need to prepare correctly to help make sure the results are accurate.

You may also be required to have other tests, such as an exercise stress test, or blood tests. A chest X-ray is not used to diagnose COPD but will help to show if there is any damage to your lungs.

Other tests may include:

Chest X-ray: takes pictures of the tissues in the lungs and surrounding organs.
CT Chest: takes more detailed pictures than an X-ray to look at the lungs and surrounding organs.
Arterial blood gas analysis: a blood test that measures how well your lungs bring oxygen into your blood and remove carbon dioxide.
Laboratory tests: these are not used to diagnose COPD, but may be used to rule out other conditions or to work out the cause of your symptoms. 

 

Key indicators for considering a diagnosis of COPD.

Dyspnea that is:

Progressine oner time
Cjaracteristically worse with exercise
Persistent

Cronic cough: 

May be intermittent and may be unproductive
Recurent wheeze

Cronic Sputum Production:

Any pattern of chrinic sputum production may indicate COPD

Recurrent lower respiratory tract  infections

History of risk factors:

Hot factors (such as genetic factors, congenital/developmental abnormalities etc.).
Tobacco smoke (including popylar local preparations).
Smoke from home cooking and heating fuels.
Occupational dusts, vapors, fumes, gases and other chemicals.

Family history of COPD and/or childhood factors:

For example low birthweight, childhood respiratory infections etc.