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respiratory conditions
prehospital
clinical skills

Peak expiratory flow rate

02 February 2018
Features
02 February 2018
Volume 10 · Issue 2

Abstract

In each issue, the paramedic education team at Edge Hill University focuses on the clinical skills carried out by paramedics on the frontlines, highlighting the importance of these skills and how to perform them. In this issue, Andrew Kirk discusses peak expiratory flow rates and the management of asthma patients in pre-hospital care.

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is the volume of air forcefully expelled from the lungs in one quick exhalation. It is a reliable indicator of ventilation capacity as well as airflow obstruction (Lane and Rouse, 2011). The normal peak flow value can range from person to person, and is dependent upon factors such as sex, age and height (Thomas and Monaghan, 2017). PEFR is typically higher in males than females and higher in taller patients. After expected increases through childhood and adolescence, PEFR decreases with age from 30–40 years onwards Figure 1) (Boezen et al, 1994; Tortora and Derrickson, 2009).

Asthma is the most common condition that affects peak flow (Quanjer et al, 1997). However, other conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), that cause airway obstruction can also affect PEFR (Talley and O'Connor, 2014; Pilberry and Lethbridge, 2016).

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