Angela Nguyen

Image Link: https://guysandstthomasspecialistcare.co.uk/conditions/sarcoidosis/ If you've been diagnosed with sarcoidosis or your healthcare provider suspects you may have it, you may wonder what it is and how it affects your lungs. Although sarcoidosis can involve different parts of the body, it most commonly affects the lungs and nearby lymph nodes. What Is Sarcoidosis? Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease in which tiny clusters of immune cells, called granulomas, form in the body's...

Image Credit: https://int.livhospital.com/how-to-interpret-spirometry-with-bronchodilator-results/ If you've been scheduled for pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry, also known as “reversible bronchodilator testing,” you may wonder why you'll be asked to repeat the breathing test after using an inhaler. This common pulmonary function test helps your healthcare provider evaluate how well your lungs work and whether certain medications improve your breathing. What Is Pre- and...

Image Credit: iStock What Is a Cardiac Stress Test? A cardiac stress test evaluates how well the heart functions when it is working harder than usual. By monitoring the heart during physical activity or with medication that mimics exercise, healthcare providers can assess blood flow, heart rhythm, and overall cardiac performance. What the Test Evaluates During a stress test, healthcare providers observe how the heart responds to increased demand. This includes: Heart rate and rhythm Blood...