Clearblow CEO Lach Black Shares His Journey to Success and Discovering His Purpose
Spirometry is a vital diagnostic tool that plays a crucial role in managing patients with chronic lung conditions. This non-invasive pulmonary function test measures the volume and flow of air as it moves in and out of the lungs, providing valuable insights into a patient’s lung function. For individuals suffering from chronic lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis, or interstitial lung disease, spirometry offers several benefits. But up until now, the test has been performed exclusively in a doctor’s office or hospital. For patients suffering poor lung health, a better solution is needed than requiring clunky visits to the doctor. Lung health is something that should be monitored weekly, if not daily. But that has not been possible. Until now.
Introducing Clearblow, the brainchild of 17-year-old entrepreneur Lach Black, who created the Clearblow pocket spirometer, putting the power of spirometry into the hands of the patient, via a Bluetooth-enabled fun to use app. Now patients can monitor their lung health daily if they’d like and with Clearblow’s data sharing capabilities, the results are sent in real-time to the patient’s healthcare provider.
How does spirometry help?
Spirometry aids in the early detection and diagnosis of chronic lung conditions, allowing healthcare providers to initiate timely interventions. By assessing lung capacity and airflow limitations, spirometry helps clinicians tailor treatment plans to the specific needs of each patient, whether it involves medication adjustments, lifestyle modifications, or pulmonary rehabilitation programs.
Additionally, spirometry can track disease progression over time, enabling healthcare professionals to monitor the effectiveness of interventions and adjust treatment strategies accordingly. This proactive approach not only improves the quality of life for patients but also reduces healthcare costs associated with managing advanced stages of these chronic lung conditions.
Moreover, spirometry provides an objective and quantifiable measure of lung function, which is particularly valuable for assessing the severity of chronic lung conditions. It allows healthcare providers to classify patients into different disease stages, such as mild, moderate, or severe, based on metrics like forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio. This classification guides treatment decisions, including the choice of medications and the need for supplemental oxygen therapy.
How does the spirometry test work?
Spirometry is a straightforward and efficient procedure commonly performed in doctor’s offices and hospitals. During a spirometry test, a patient is seated comfortably, and a healthcare professional provides clear instructions on how to perform the test correctly. The patient is asked to take a deep breath and then exhale forcefully and as rapidly as possible into a handheld device called a spirometer. This device measures the volume of air expelled and the rate at which it is exhaled. The test typically includes several maneuvers to ensure accuracy and reliability, with the best results recorded for analysis.
The spirometer is connected to a computer or dedicated spirometry equipment that instantly captures and analyzes the data. The primary spirometry parameters assessed include forced vital capacity (FVC), which is the maximum amount of air a person can exhale after a deep breath, and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), which is the volume of air exhaled in the first second of the forced breath. The ratio of FEV1 to FVC is also calculated.
These measurements provide essential information about lung function and can be compared to expected values based on age, gender, and height. Spirometry results are typically interpreted by healthcare providers, who use them to diagnose and manage chronic lung conditions, track disease progression, and customize treatment plans for individual patients.
How often is spirometry performed?
At doctor’s office and hospitals, most patients suffering from chronic lung conditions come into their healthcare provider every 3 months to test their lung health. At that time, practitioners can see whether there has been any decline in lung health and are then better able to tailor treatment plans or modify medication regimes.
How does Clearblow change spirometry?
At Clearblow, their pocket-sized stylish smart spirometer is incredibly portable, allowing users to take it with them wherever they go. Its sleek design and small size ensures ease of use at any time and in any place. The Clearblow Bluetooth-enabled AI-powered device transforms exhaled air into an acoustic signal, with real-time results displayed, just like in the doctor’s office or hospital. With just a simple portable spirometer and a smartphone, patients are able to measure the same diagnostics as can be done in a hospital, yet all from the comfort of their home. Furthermore, the app associated with Clearblow facilitates the convenient sharing of data with the patient’s healthcare provider.
Clearblow’s intelligent algorithm goes beyond simply recording data; it leverages past FEV1% and PEF test results in conjunction with parameters set by the patient’s healthcare provider to predict future outcomes. This user-friendly app also offers a comprehensive package that includes symptom tracking, medication management, and proactive alerts, making it a valuable tool for patients managing their lung health.
