COPD

Frequently Asked Questions

5. How is COPD diagnosed?

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To confirm a COPD diagnosis, a doctor will use a breathing test called spirometry. The test is easy and painless. It shows how well the lungs are working. The spirometer measures how much air the lungs can hold and how fast air is blown out of the lungs. Other tests, such as bronchodilator reversibility testing, a chest X-ray, and arterial blood gas test, may be ordered.