What is COPD?  

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common chronic lung disorder that is often preventable and treatable (American Lung Association). For those diagnosed with COPD, inflammation causes your airways to swell and thicken, resulting in extensive tissue damage (American Lung Association). This leads to a decrease in airflow both in and out of your lungs, making breathing more strenuous. Strained breathing and reduced airflow mean that less oxygen is being circulated to your bodily tissues and your ability to properly expel carbon dioxide decreases. Over time, those diagnosed with COPD may find it increasingly difficult to remain active in their daily lives. 

According to the American Lung Association (2021), COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Mismanagement of the disease and improper diagnosis may be major contributing factors to this issue as many people are not properly diagnosed until they have reached advanced stages of the disease. Though COPD is currently incurable, it can be managed and treated through at-home pulse oximetry, at-home spirometry, consistent check-ins with your doctor, and respiratory medicine. 

How CMI Health is Contributing to COPD Awareness Month

At CMI Health, we genuinely care about our customers and the lung healthcare community. To recognize and further educate others about COPD, we are donating 5 SpiroLink at-home Spirometers to a local organization dedicated to helping those diagnosed with lung disease!

Spirometry and COPD

For those who may not know, Spirometry is an important clinical tool used to measure how well a person's lungs are working. It does this by measuring how much air you are able to exhale and how quickly. It is often used to diagnose and monitor those with asthma, COPD, and other conditions that may affect a user's ability to breathe properly (Mayo Clinic). SpiroLink, CMI Health’s Digital at-home spirometer, is an ideal device for those managing their daily lung health.

With a Spirometer, users can track their daily lung function by monitoring their Force Vital Capacity – (FVC) and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1). 

FVC - This is the largest amount of air that you can forcefully exhale after breathing in as deeply as you can. A lower-than-normal FVC reading indicates restricted breathing (Mayo Clinic).

FEV1 – This is how much air you can force from your lungs in one second. This reading helps your doctor assess the severity of your breathing problems. Lower FEV-1 readings indicate more significant obstruction (Mayo Clinic).

Over a prolonged period, spirometry can help track the progression of chronic respiratory illnesses and enable doctors to pinpoint the best course of action for their patients.

Our SpiroLink also allows users to monitor their Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, allowing for seamless use with a smartphone (both iOS and android)

For more information on how Spirometry works, click here!

Pulse Oximetry and COPD

Pulse Oximeters are incredibly useful tools that allow users to measure their oxygen saturation periodically or continuously. To be more concise, Pulse Oximetry is a test used to measure the oxygen content (oxygen saturation, also known as SpO2 levels) of an individual’s blood (John Hopkins, 2021). In addition to measuring SpO2, pulse oximetry also records overall pulse rate. At-home Pulse Oximeters can be utilized to track the progression of COPD and the efficacy of daily medication and treatment. Understanding and tracking these variables daily can provide valuable insight to you or your loved one’s health condition and may allow for improved quality of life.

Guide to Managing COPD

Unfortunately, COPD is recognized as a progressive disease that gradually worsens over time. Even so, monitoring your condition and the efficacy of daily treatments may allow for improved disease management overtime, which may slow the rate of disease progression. Proper disease management can also lower the risk of other associated diseases such as heart disease or lung cancer. Check out this blog for more information on how you can better manage you or your loved ones COPD. 

Still have questions? Feel free to contact us at info@cmihealth.com or call our customer service hotline at 888-985-1125 (ext. 1).