Respiratory Cloud Clinical Skills Library

Clinical knowledge review

Contraindications

Use these educational prompts with current orders, protocols, patient assessment, facility policy, and supervising-clinician direction.

Skill

PFT Spirometry

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Contraindications Conditions identified as reasons to avoid or defer the procedure pending authorized clinical review. View list Relative contraindications Factors requiring individualized risk-benefit assessment, added precautions, or a modified approach. View list

Contraindications

Review these conditions before proceeding and follow current orders, protocols, facility policy, and supervising-clinician direction.

  • Recent thoracic, abdominal, or eye surgery where forced exhalation is contraindicated.
  • Active hemoptysis of unknown origin.
  • Unstable cardiovascular status (recent MI, uncontrolled hypertension).
  • Recent myocardial infarction (within 1 week).
  • Unstable cardiovascular status, aortic or intracranial aneurysm.
  • Unresolved pneumothorax.

Relative contraindications

Use individualized risk-benefit assessment, added precautions, or a modified approach as authorized for the patient and setting.

  • Recent eye, sinus, abdominal, or thoracic surgery.
  • Acute respiratory infection within 3 weeks.
  • History of syncope with forced exhalation.
  • Hemoptysis.

Sources

Supporting sources include peer-reviewed research, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, professional standards, and foundational respiratory care references, as applicable to the skill.

  1. Graham, B. L., Steenbruggen, I., Miller, M. R., Barjaktarevic, I. Z., Cooper, B. G., Hall, G. L., Hallstrand, T. S., Kaminsky, D. A., McCarthy, K., McCormack, M. C., Oropez, C. E., Rosenfeld, M., Stanojevic, S., Swanney, M. P., & Thompson, B. R. (2019). Standardization of spirometry 2019 update. European Respiratory Journal, 53(2), 1801513. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01513-2018
  2. Graham, B. L., Brusasco, V., Burgos, F., Cooper, B. G., Jensen, R., Kendrick, A., MacIntyre, N. R., Thompson, B. R., & Wanger, J. (2017). 2017 ERS/ATS standards for single-breath carbon monoxide uptake in the lung. European Respiratory Journal, 49(1), 1600016. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.00016-2016
  3. Graham, B. L., at al. (2021). ERS/ATS technical standard on lung volume measurements. European Respiratory Journal, 57(3), 2002768. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.02768-2020
  4. Johnson, B. D., Weisman, I. M., Zeballos, R. J., Beck, K. C., & American Thoracic Society/American College of Chest Physicians. (2021). ATS/ACCP statement on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 203(4), e1–e51. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.2034-2021
  5. Miller, M. R., Stanojevic, S., Swanney, M. P., & Thompson, B. R. (2022). Global Lung Function Initiative reference values and PFT interpretation. European Respiratory Journal, 59(3), 2101499. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01499-2021