From time to time I am sent products to review and give my opinion on. Some are good, some not so good. In this article, I’m reviewing the Wing Smart FEV1 and Peak Flow Meter. I have been looking into home spirometry devices for a while as I believe this would be advantageous for COPD patients in managing their disease.
Wing
What does Wing do? Wing takes two measurements when a patient uses the device. Peak flow, a useful measurement for asthmatics and FEV1 which gives an indication of lung function for COPD patients. Both measurements are stored and the information can be sent to healthcare professionals via email as a summary report. This could enable your doctor to monitor your lung function between visits as well as alerting them to potential exacerbations.
The first check I do when reviewing a device is to find out the quality of the product. Being FDA approved was a major tick for the Wing device as it assures the measurements which a patient records are going to be accurate. Wing is actually the “first over-the-counter smartphone sensor for measuring lung function, which means – no prescription!”
The devices itself is solid but light weight, very durable and able to be washed once the sensor slides out. The Wing fits in the palm of your hand making it very portable. The device is connected to your smartphone where it is used in conjunction with the Wing App. The Wing App has a number of features which records data including FEV1 and Peak Flow results as well as a patient’s medications, triggers and symptoms at the time of the test.
I’ve been using the Wing device for several months and find the measurements correlate well with how I’m feeling. I have compared the results with those of the spirometry tests from my doctor surgery and there is minimal difference. Using the device is the same as how you would perform a spirometry test in your doctor’s clinic. There are onscreen prompts which tell you when to start blowing, to keep going, and time to stop when the test is being processed.
There is a video in the menu of the app which gives you easy to follow instructions as well as a demonstration on how the device is used. Other menu items include tracking, summary report, tour and a feedback option. I have found the device easy to use and would recommend it to patients interested in tracking their disease.
Whether you suffer from Asthma or COPD the Wing FEV1 and peak flow meter would be a useful tool in any management plan. I’ll be watching with great interest to see what further tools are incorporated in this device.
*THE Wing developers are looking for patient volunteers to help them better understand patient’s needs. If you are interested in sharing your ideas please email [email protected]
More information can be found at the Wing website – https://mywing.io/