Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)

Sections

Diagnosis & Tests

Health History

Your healthcare provider will ask about:

  • Symptoms and other medical problems.
  • Current and past smoking habits.
  • Risk factors, like second-hand smoke or work that may have damaged lungs.

Physical Examination

The provider will also:

  • Do a physical examination.
  • Listen to your lungs with a stethoscope.
  • Measure blood oxygen levels with a pulse oximeter (a small, painless medical device) on your finger.

Among the key things leading to a COPD diagnosis are:

  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath), which gets worse over time.
  • Chronic cough.
  • Chronic mucus coughed up from the lower airways in the lungs.
  • Risk factors, including smoking and work-related exposure to dust and chemicals.
  • Airflow restrictions in the lungs.

Your provider may recommend some additional tests to help make a diagnosis.  

Pulmonary (lung) Function Tests

The most common test is spirometry. A person blows air into a tube to measure how much air their lungs can hold, and how fast they can breathe it out. This test can show whether air is being “trapped” in the lungs, and if the airflow is restricted.

A person may repeat this test after inhaling a medication called a bronchodilator to see if results improve. This can help the healthcare provider figure out if a person has COPD or another condition such as asthma.

Other tests may include:

  • A chest X-ray can show emphysema or other heart or lung problems.
  • A CT scan, which can show the lungs and airways in more detail to see any lung problems.
  • An arterial blood gas test, which takes a sample of blood from an artery to measure how much oxygen and carbon dioxide is there.
  • An exercise test, which shows how the lungs and heart work with physical activity.
  • In rare cases, a blood test for genetic causes of COPD.

 

Last Updated May 2023

Back To Top