Flow Rate Help

[supyasieve]

Hi All,

I remember there being a wiki that shows flow rate and all the different types of limitation based on flow rate shape. I have been looking through and cannot not see to find it.

My main question is why does my flow always look like it's a chair. It looks almost like I inhale slightly, pause, then inhale all the way. What does this mean and how do I fix it so it looks more "hilly" like it does in all the wikis showing flow rate.

[Dormeo]

Your flow rate looks normal to me. Remember, the trace above the zero line is all inhalation. The *rate* of airflow during your inhalation increases and then decreases until you segue into exhalation, which is all below the line. The trace along the zero line is a pause between breaths. Yours shows a little bit of oscillation above and below the zero line; this is probably a cardioballistic effect. That just means your heartbeat is faintly telegraphed to your airway. It's fairly common and harmless.

You might take a look at this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4688581/

Roughly in the middle of the article, take a look at figure 5 and table 1.

[quiescence at last]

Ditto on Dormeo comment... many people read the curve as inhale when the line starts moving upward, but it is the slowing of the exhale. You are breathing normally.

QAL

[supyasieve]

Your flow rate looks normal to me.  Remember, the trace above the zero line is all inhalation.  The *rate* of airflow during your inhalation increases and then decreases until you segue into exhalation, which is all below the line.  The trace along the zero line is a pause between breaths.  Yours shows a little bit of oscillation above and below the zero line; this is probably a cardioballistic effect.  That just means your heartbeat is faintly telegraphed to your airway.  It's fairly common and harmless.

You might take a look at this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4688581/

Roughly in the middle of the article, take a look at figure 5 and table 1.

Appreciate the feedback!

Based on that chart my breathing looks like
Class 6 flow limitation ?

[Dormeo]

No, I'm not seeing class 4 FL. The chart is showing the inhalation portion of the flow rate only (i.e., the part above the zero line). If you look at your inhalation flow rate traces, they are rounded. Please let us know if there's something about that that doesn't make sense to you.