Spirometry should be performed to establish the diagnosis of COPD.

• Position: HEALTH BEAT - Brief article

Spirometry should be performed to establish the diagnosis of COPD--chronic obstructive pulmonary disease--in any patient who has a history of chronic cough, sputum production, or difficulty breathing, according to the recommendations of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. "GOLD guidelines provide clear standards on which...