Treating Respiratory Disease
Respiratory therapists at Valley Hospital Medical Center help patients suffering from a wide range of chronic respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Respiratory therapists also provide emergency care to patients suffering from heart attack, stroke or other forms of trauma.
To assess and diagnose breathing issues, patients may undergo pulmonary function or breathing tests to find out how well air moves in and out of the lungs and how well oxygen enters their body. Some of these include:
- Basic spirometry measures how much air you can inhale and how quickly you exhale
- Body plethysmography measures how much air you can hold in your lungs
- Diffusion studies measure how well the lungs exchange gases
In addition to pulmonary function testing, Valley Hospital offers patient education and other specialized services such as:
- Airway and artificial ventilator management
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) management
- Oxygen modalities
- Breathing treatments
If you need a referral to a physician at Valley Hospital, call our free physician referral service at 800-879-0980.