El flujómetro de Wright: Una herramienta indispensable en la práctica ambulatoria

Abstract

In spite of the general agreement of proven utility of pulmonary function evaluation in helping health care professionals to make right decisions with respiratory patients in specific clinical circumstances, the daily life activity does not include these measurements. This approach differs with the regular use of ECG, glucose, cholesterol, arterial blood pressure measurement or even chest X ray. Spirometer limited availability in out-patient setting was the most common argument to back this attitude. For more than 20 years a very economic, reliable and portable equipment to measure the peak expiratory flows, is available to be used in out-patient clinics. This portable flow meter, allows to evaluate the obstructive component of the respiratory diseases in patients home, work and clinics and to make evident, possible changes produced by therapeutic interventions. The big proportion of obstructive diseases in clinical practice make necessary to get such instrument on daily activities, All International guidelines to treat asthmatic patients include the regular measurement of peak expiratory flow in their exacerbations, as well as in their out-patient clinics medical control. This information is a basic requirement to get proper asthma control and to get good quality intervention in respiratory patients with a bronchial obstructive component