What-is-an-inhaler

What is an inhaler? An inhaler is a small, handheld device that delivers medication directly to your lungs.Inhalers can be dry powder, metered-dose or soft mist. The most common types use medicine that helps open your airways or reduce inflammation in your lungs. What’s the difference between an inhaler and a nebulizer? Inhalers and nebulizers both deliver medicines that treat lung conditions. But an inhaler is a handheld

device that doesn’t need electricity. It usually delivers dry powder or a spray of medication, though some use a soft mist of liquid medication.device that doesn’t need electricity. It usually delivers dry powder or a spray of medication, though some use a soft mist of liquid medication. Nebulizers are larger and use a battery or you plug them in. You use them with a mask or mouthpiece. Nebulizers deliver the medicine over several minutes, rather than in one breath. Who needs to use an inhaler? People with chronic lung conditions that affect their breathing, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), most commonly use inhalers. You use daily inhalers to prevent or manage your symptoms and fast-acting inhalers (rescue inhalers) during an asthma attack or COPD exacerbation (times when your breathing gets worse). Can someone without asthma use an inhaler? Yes, providers prescribe rescue inhalers and inhaled corticosteroids for respiratory conditions other than asthma. As with any medication, you should only use an inhaler that’s prescribed for you. What inhalers are used for asthma? Providers often prescribe inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to prevent asthma symptoms, along with a rescue inhaler for quick relief of attacks. If ICS medications

don’t help manage your asthma, your provider may add a long-acting bronchodilator, like a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) or a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA). What medications are used in inhalers? Types of medications in inhalers for respiratory conditions include those that provide quick relief during an exacerbation or an attack, and those that you take regularly to manage symptoms or prevent attacks. These include short-acting bronchodilators, long-acting bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids. What are the risks of using inhalers? The risks of side effects of inhalers vary by medication and the condition you’re treating. Some risks include:  You shouldn’t use long-acting bronchodilators without also using an inhaled corticosteroid to treat asthma. Using long-acting bronchodilators alone can increase your risk of death from an asthma-related event.  Using ICS inhalers with COPD may increase your risk of pneumonia. Risks of inhaler devices themselves usually involve improper use.