Asthma inhalers deliver medication directly to the lungs to ease asthma symptoms. There are several types of inhalers that use different mechanisms to administer drugs. Metered dose inhalers spray medication from a canister while dry powder inhalers require deep inhalation to trigger a dose. Inhalers contain drugs like steroids to reduce inflammation and bronchodilators to open airways. While generally safe, inhalers can potentially cause side effects like throat irritation if high doses are used long-term without proper technique.

1. Asthma Inhalers

2. What is Asthma…..
What Is an Asthma Inhaler?
TYPES & How to use the
Inhaler ?
What drugs are in the inhalers?
Which is the best inhaler
device to use?
Do you get side-effects from

3.  Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and
swell and produce extra mucus.This can make breathing
difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing and shortness of
breath.

4.  An asthma inhaler is a handheld device that
delivers medication straight into your lungs.You get the
drugs faster -- and with fewer side effects -- than you
would if you took it by pill or IV.
 Inhalers are the most effective way to get
lifesaving medications to people with asthma and
other lung diseases. Whether you have asthma or care
for someone who does, here’s what you need to know
about inhalers, including how to use one correctly.

5.  Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) provide the drug
through a small, handheld aerosol canister.They work
like a spray can.You push the inhaler, it sprays out the
medicine, and you breathe it in. A tube-like gadget
called a spacer can help kids or people with trouble
breathing use an MDI more easily.

6.  Remove the caps from the inhaler and spacer. Shake the
inhaler.
 Put the inhaler into the open end of the spacer -- it’s
opposite the spacer's mouthpiece.
 Breathe out completely.
 Put the mouthpiece of the spacer between your teeth and
close your lips tightly around it.
 Press the inhaler canister once to release the medicine,
which will be trapped in the spacer.
MDI Asthma Inhaler
With a Spacer

7.  Breathe in slowly and completely through your mouth.
Some spacers, will make a horn-like sound if you breathe
too quickly.This means you need to slow down on your
next breath.
 Hold your breath for at least 10 seconds to allow the
medicine to get to your lungs.
 Remove the spacer and breathe out slowly.
 Wait about a minute, then repeat for every puff your
doctor tells you to take.
 Replace the caps on the asthma inhaler and spacer when
you’re done.
 If you have an MDI with a steroid, gargle and rinse
your mouth with water or mouthwash after each use.

8.  Take the cap off your inhaler and shake it well.
 Hold the inhaler with your index finger on top of the
canister and thumb on the bottom of the plastic
mouthpiece.
 Sit up straight or stand up.Tilt your head back slightly and
breathe out all the way.
 Open your mouth wide, and place the inhaler about 2
inches in front of your mouth. (Or you can put the MDI in
your mouth, between your teeth, tongue flat under the
mouthpiece with your lips sealed.)
 Breathe in and out one time.

10.  Press the metal canister down and breathe as deeply as
you can for about 3 to 5 seconds
 Hold your breath for at least 10 seconds to allow
the medication to reach your lungs.
 Wait at least a minute, then repeat for each puff your
doctor tells you to take.
 Replace the cap on your inhaler when you’re finished. If
your inhaler contains a steroid, gargle and rinse your
mouth with water or mouthwash after each use.

14.  Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) require you to
breathe in quickly and deeply.That can make
them hard to use during an asthma
attack when you can’t fully catch a deep
breath. Also called breath-activated inhalers .
 You don't have to push the canister to release a
dose. Instead, you trigger a dose by breathing
in at the mouthpiece.
 Accuhalers, clickhalers, easyhalers, novolizers,
turbohalers, diskhalers and twisthalers are all
breath-activated dry powder inhalers .

16.  Nebulizers deliver medication through a
mouthpiece or mask.They’re easier to use
because you can breathe normally.That
makes them good for children or people
with severe asthma who may not be able
to use an MDI or DPI properly. Nebulizers
are no more effective than normal
inhalers.
 However, they are extremely useful in
people who are very tired (fatigued) with
their breathing, or in people who are very
breathless.

17.  Many inhalers contain steroids, like prednisone, to
treat inflammation. Others have a type of drug
called a bronchodilator to open up your airways.
Some have both -- this is known as a combination
inhaler.
 Anti-inflammatory asthma
inhalers prevent asthma attacks and reduce
swelling and mucus in your airways.They include:
 Steroids(Alvesco, Asmanex, Flovent, Pulmicort,
and Qvar)
 Mast cell stabilizers (cromolyn sodium)

18.  Bronchodilator asthma inhalers are either short
or long-acting.They widen your airways to ease
symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath,
and coughing.They include:
a) Short-acting beta-agonists (Ventolin)
b) Long-acting beta-agonists (Foradil and Serevent).
The combination inhalers containing both a long-
acting beta-agonist and a steroid include Advair,
Dulera.

20. This depends on various factors such as:
 Convenience. Some inhalers are small, can go easily in
a pocket, and are quick to use. For example, the
standard MDI inhaler.
 Your age. Children under the age of 6 generally cannot
use dry powder inhalers.This is because such a strong
breath is needed to inhale the medicine within the
inhaler. Children aged under 12 generally cannot use
standard MDI inhalers without a spacer. Some elderly
people find the MDI inhalers difficult to use.
 Your co-ordination. Some devices need more co-
ordination than others.

21.  At standard inhaled doses, the amount of medicine is
small compared with tablets or liquid medicines.
Therefore, side-effects tend to be much less of a problem
than with tablets or liquid medicines.This is one of their
main advantages. However, some side-effects do occur in
some people.
 One problem that might occur when using a steroid
inhaler (especially if you are taking a high dose) is that the
back of your throat may get sore.Thrush infection in the
mouth may develop.This can usually be treated easily
with a course of pastilles to suck or liquid that you hold in
your mouth.You might also notice that your voice
becomes more hoarse.

22.  If you rinse your mouth with water and brush your
teeth after using a steroid inhaler you are less likely
to develop a sore throat or thrush. Also, some
inhaler devices (such as spacers) are less likely to
cause throat problems. A change to a different
device may help if mouth problems or thrush occur.
 If you use a high dose of inhaled steroid over a long
time it may be a risk factor for developing
osteoporosis.You can help to prevent osteoporosis
by taking regular exercise, not smoking, and eating
a diet with enough calcium.

23.  Steroid medicines may aggravate depression and
other mental health problems, and may
occasionally cause mental health problems.This is
more a concern with steroid tablets but, rarely, can
be caused by steroid inhalers. Even a severe form of
mental health problem called psychosis may, rarely,
be triggered by a steroid inhaler.