In recent months, we’ve observed more patients struggling with spirometry testing at Care Net Consultants. Alongside this trend, there’s been a noticeable rise in non-negative drug test results. This raises a crucial question: Is drug use contributing to these poor lung function test results?

Human behavior is complex, and numerous factors must be considered. The ongoing economic pressures and the aftermath of COVID-19 might have led to increased usage of both prescribed and non-prescribed medications. Additionally, the use of legal drugs like marijuana and illegal drugs like cocaine could impact lung health and, consequently, spirometry results. While these possibilities are significant, we must also consider other factors influencing lung function tests.

Breath Control: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or other severe respiratory conditions often find it challenging to take deep breaths or exhale forcefully. This can significantly impact the outcomes of occupational health medicals.

Fatigue: Spirometry testing is physically demanding, particularly for those with weakened respiratory muscles or overall poor health, which can lead to reduced performance during workplace medicals.

Anxiety and Stress: The testing environment can induce anxiety, resulting in suboptimal performance during the test. This is a common issue observed in occupational health assessments.

Understanding of Instructions: Nervousness or language barriers can hinder a patient’s ability to comprehend and recall instructions, impacting test accuracy. At Care Net Consultants, most operational staff speak at least three official languages, which helps mitigate this issue, but we recognise that our patients speak many more languages.

Environmental Factors:

• Clinical Setting: Intimidating environments can negatively affect patient performance during occupational health medicals.
• Equipment Quality and Calibration: Variations in equipment and its calibration can impact the ease of testing and the accuracy of results, which is crucial in occupational health evaluations.

Training and Support:

• Lack of Proper Training: Insufficient instruction and practice can lead to improper technique, affecting the reliability of spirometry results in workplace medicals.
• Inadequate Coaching: Inconsistent or poor coaching can result in patients not fully understanding the effort required, impacting the accuracy of occupational health assessments.

Health Status:

• Acute Illness: Respiratory infections or chronic conditions can hinder performance, affecting the outcomes of spirometry tests during occupational health medicals.
• Cognitive Impairment: Patients with cognitive impairments may have difficulty comprehending and following instructions, impacting the accuracy of their spirometry results.

Impact of Street Drugs on Spirometry Results

Respiratory Effects of Specific Drugs:

• Marijuana: Smoking marijuana can cause bronchial irritation and inflammation, leading to decreased lung function, which can be detected in spirometry tests during occupational health medicals.
• Cocaine: Cocaine use, especially when smoked (crack cocaine), can cause significant lung damage, reducing lung capacity and airflow.
• Heroin: Heroin use, particularly through inhalation (chasing the dragon), can lead to respiratory depression and lung diseases, impacting lung function and spirometry results.

General Health Effects:

• Infection Risk: Drug use can increase susceptibility to infections like pneumonia or tuberculosis, impairing lung function and affecting results during occupational health assessments.
• Immune System Suppression: Chronic drug use can suppress the immune system, making users more prone to respiratory infections.

Behavioral and Cognitive Effects:

• Impaired Coordination and Cognitive Function: Acute intoxication or chronic effects of drugs can impair a patient’s ability to understand and follow the instructions required for accurate spirometry testing, impacting occupational health medicals.

Chronic Health Conditions:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Long-term smoking of substances like tobacco, marijuana, or crack cocaine can lead to COPD, significantly impacting spirometry results in occupational health assessments.
• Cardiovascular Effects: Drugs like cocaine can cause acute and chronic cardiovascular issues, including hypertension and arrhythmias, which may indirectly affect respiratory function and spirometry performance during occupational health medicals.

While drug use can significantly impact spirometry test results, it’s important to consider all potential factors and monitor the results over a period of time. Often, we recommend a lung function review after six months of testing (free to our clients) to monitor and track lung capacity. Healthcare providers must be aware of a patient’s drug use history to interpret spirometry results accurately and distinguish between drug-induced changes and underlying chronic respiratory conditions. For more information on our comprehensive occupational health services, contact Care Net Consultants today. Your health and safety are our top priorities.