Home Asthma Monitoring with PIKO-1

1. What is a Lung Function Monitor?
   Air movement out of the lungs is measured by the PIKO monitor in 2 important ways: the "peak flow" (PEF) is a measure of how fast air can be blown out of the lungs and the FEV-1 is the amount of air blown out of the lungs in one second. Both PEF and FEV-1 measurements can be used to define asthma severity; the FEV-1 is more specific for Asthma and more reliable for office testing. (FEV-1 is not measured by most other flow meters.) Peak flow values are typically recorded to monitor asthma at home.
2. Why do I need a PIKO-1 Monitor?
   Asthma severity is defined by FEV-1 levels comparing your values to values predicted for your age, sex and weight. Asthma severity is also defined by day-to-day variability in peak flows which requires home monitoring to detect. Each time you are seen in our office, we can review the values in your peak flow diary. This information will help us determine if your Asthma is under optimal control or if changes need to be made to your treatment.
3. How do I set-up the PIKO-1 Monitor?
   The PIKO monitor uses your "best" effort number for Peak flow (PEF) and compares it to all other test results. Your "best" PEF is obtained when you are feeling well and having no Asthma symptoms. To enter your normal or Best PEF into PIKO, press the button rapidly 4 times. When you see a blinking PEF, press the button again to increase this value by 10 units each time. Numbers from 0 to 999 can be entered. When your best PEF value is entered, press and hold down the button for 5 seconds until the blinking PEF stops. Once PIKO knows your normal (Best) PEF, it can then automatically calculate your Asthma "activity zones" after each time it is used (look for the triangle under the colors). A green zone PEF is considered good control, a yellow zone PEF may indicate worsening Asthma and a red zone PEF should alert you to seek immediate medical care.
   • Setting the best PEF to 010 erases all the results stored in the PIKO. (When you push the button down for the 5-second hold (last step) the PEF changes to 020 for a few seconds.)
4. How do I use the monitor?
   To perform a test, if the monitor screen is blank, press the button once. This will show your last test result. Press the button a second time and you will see a zero on the screen. Take a deep breath, place the monitor in your mouth and blow out as fast and as long as you can. Repeat this test by pressing the button again, wait for the zero and blow as hard as possible. Three (3) efforts should be done within 3 minutes and the PIKO will select the best numbers for you (automatically) and save the results in the memory.
5. How do I see the values stored in the memory?
   Press and hold the button for 5 seconds and your last result will appear. Each time you press the button thereafter, the numbers will show your prior results from the most recent to the oldest. The number in the left portion of the display tells you which test result you are viewing from (#96 to #1).
6. What is the best way to track my PIKO-1 monitor results?
   You can write your test results in your Peak flow diary or you can also purchase a computer interface to print your results at home for about $25.00. PIKO's can be purchased online at quickmedical.com under "quick jump to products" select "Peak flow meters" (Electronic peak flow/FEV. meter). Software for computer tracking your PIKO trends is also available at this site.

Asthma & Allergy Associates
115 Gallery Circle
Suite 200
San Antonio, TX 78258
(Stone Oak MRI/Urgent Care Bldg.)
Tel: 210.499.0033
Fax: 210.404.0926
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