The Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter for evaluating airway obstruction in a family practice.

This work reports an investigation of the usefulness of the Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter in a family practice. The Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter, an economical and simple tool for measuring peak expiratory flow rate, was developed in Great Britain but has found little clinical application in the United States. Its employment in quantifying airway obstruction and accurately reflecting changing patterns of obstruction over time is described. Recurrent patterns of airway obstruction in asthmatic patients are discussed. These patterns are used to individualize drug treatment regimens. The Mini-Wright Peak Flow Meter is portable and can easily be used in an office setting or lent to patients for home use. Some patients may benefit by purchasing the meter themselves and self-adjusting the time and dose of their medication based on objective measurements of airway obstruction.