Respiratory Inhalers
Definition: A respiratory inhaler is a portable, handheld medical device designed to deliver medication directly to the lungs through inhalation. This method allows the medication to act rapidly and locally on the airways, minimizing systemic side effects.
Primary Uses: Inhalers are most commonly used to manage chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Types of Inhaler Devices:
Pressurized Metered-Dose Inhalers (pMDIs):
Mechanism: Contain the medication in a pressurized canister with a propellant (a chemical that helps push the medicine out). When the user presses the canister, a measured dose is released as a spray or aerosol.
Technique: Requires careful coordination between pressing the canister and slowly inhaling the medicine.
Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs):
Mechanism: Hold the medicine as a dry powder. They do not use a propellant.
Technique: The user activates the device, and the medication is inhaled through a fast, deep breath, which pulls the powder out of the device and into the lungs.
Soft Mist Inhalers (SMIs):
Mechanism: Convert liquid medicine into a slow-moving, fine mist without the use of a propellant or requiring a forceful inhalation.
Technique: Easier to coordinate than pMDIs and designed to improve lung deposition of the drug.
Medication Categories: Inhalers deliver drugs like bronchodilators (to relax and open the airways) and inhaled corticosteroids (to reduce inflammation).