| There are many types of inhalers out there, each | | | | inhaler (DPI). Long acting beta 2 agonist drugs like |
| catering to different severity levels of asthma. | | | | salmeterol and formoterol can be found in DPI. Unlike |
| Knowing which is suitable for you is important for to | | | | MDI, this one is a lot easier to use as does not |
| combat asthma in the long run. | | | | require proper technique of "inhaling first and pressing |
| Let's start by talking about the most common inhaler | | | | canister later" needed in implementing MDI. Also the |
| many people use which is the metered dose inhaler | | | | particles in DPI are also smaller, resulting in more |
| or MDI. MDI was first introduced in 1956 and has | | | | medication going in your lungs. |
| been commonly used then. It consists of a mouth | | | | However the drawback is that the amount of |
| piece, contains a canister of medication and is | | | | medication received is proportional to how forceful |
| L-shaped. The propellant used to contain a mixture of | | | | your inhalation is. Not suitable for elderly. People with |
| Freon gas. However, Freon gas is a CFC | | | | neurological disease may find it hard to load the |
| (chlorofluorocarbon) gas and we all know that CFC | | | | powder capsule in the DPI. |
| gas is the main culprit in destroying our ozone layer. | | | | The third type of inhaler is the nebulizer. This device |
| It has since been replaced by an environmentally | | | | is commonly found in emergency rooms in hospital. |
| friendly agent of hydrofluoroalkane (HFA). The most | | | | There are also portable ones available out there. For |
| common problem many people face when using MDI | | | | people to use this device, all it takes is just to |
| is that it requires good coordination between pressing | | | | breathe in normally. This makes it the easiest inhaler |
| the canister and inhaling the medication. This is | | | | to use out of the above two mentioned. Nebulizers |
| disadvantageous to toddlers, whom parents may find | | | | are favored by hospitals because it delivers about 4 |
| it difficult to teach. | | | | to 10 times more can be delivered from the two |
| To solve this coordination problem presented by the | | | | puff of MDI. |
| MDI, breath activated inhaler (BAI) was developed. | | | | However, the greater quantity may also mean that |
| To use this inhaler, all the person needs to do is | | | | the side effects are stronger than using MDI. There |
| breathe in forcefully, thereby activating the | | | | are portable ones available but most asthmatics don't |
| mechanism to release the medication. However, the | | | | need it unless they suffer from chronic asthma or |
| drawback is that it lacks an overdrive button when it | | | | asthma that cannot be controlled by MDI or PDI |
| malfunctions, definitely not suitable for someone that | | | | alone. These devices are also a lot more expensive |
| has severe narrowing of the bronchial tubes. | | | | and more cumbersome. |
| The second type of inhaler is the dry powered | | | | |