Contents -- Introduction -- Acknowledgements -- Foreword -- 1 Peak expiratory flow measurement -- DEFINITION -- USES -- LIMITATIONS -- PEF METERS -- REFERENCE VALUES -- PEF SCALES -- CARE AND MAINTENANCE -- RECORDING PEF -- USING PEF TO DIAGNOSE ASTHMA -- PATIENT AND CARER INFORMATION:PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW -- 2 Spirometry equipment -- VOLUMETRIC SPIROMETERS -- FLOW-MEASURING SPIROMETERS -- CHOOSING A SPIROMETER -- 3 Spirometry measurements and reference values -- VITAL CAPACITY -- FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 SECOND -- MEASUREMENTS OF AIRFLOW -- PRESENTATION OF RESULTS -- REFERENCE VALUES -- 4 Using a spirometer -- CALIBRATION -- VERIFICATION USING A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL -- INFECTION CONTROL -- CONTRAINDICATIONS TO SPIROMETRY -- PATIENT PREPARATION -- PERFORMING THE TEST -- TECHNICAL ACCEPTABILITY AND REPRODUCIBILITY -- COMMON ERRORS: RECOGNITION AND CORRECTION -- PATIENT AND CARER INFORMATION: SPIROMETRY -- 5 Spirometry interpretation -- NORMAL SPIROMETRY -- OBSTRUCTIVE SPIROMETRY -- RESTRICTIVE SPIROMETRY -- SEVERELY OBSTRUCTED SPIROMETRY -- MAXIMAL FLOW/VOLUME TRACES -- STANDARD DEVIATION SCORES -- 6 Static lung volumes and gas transfer -- STATIC LUNG VOLUMES -- MEASURING STATIC LUNG VOLUMES -- DIFFUSING CAPACITY AND GAS TRANSFER -- PATIENT AND CARER INFORMATION: STATIC LUNG VOLUMES AND GAS TRANSFER -- 7 Blood gases and pulse oximetry -- ARTERIAL BLOOD GASES (ABG) -- RESPIRATORY FAILURE -- COLLECTING ARTERIAL BLOOD GAS SAMPLES -- SpO2 -- PULSE OXIMETRY -- USING A PULSE OXIMETER -- PATIENT AND CARER INFORMATION -- Glossary -- Useful addresses and contacts -- Feedback Form.