People who have chronic lung disease such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis frequently use inhalers on a daily basis. Medicines breathed in (inhaled) through the mouth travel to the lungs to widen the airways and thin mucous. These effects make it easier for a person to breathe and to cough up thick mucus.
Because these persons depend on their medicines for disease control, they must learn how to use inhalers safely and correctly.
The medicines are delivered in one of two ways:
To use inhalers correctly, a person needs to be able to hold the device and handle the parts correctly. In addition, the correct use of an MDI requires a person to be able to depress the canister and to take a deep breath at the same time. As the caregiver for a person who uses an inhaler, you need to be able to decide if the person uses an inhaler correctly. If not, you’ll need to inform the person’s doctor so that a different way to deliver the medicine can be chosen. If a person does not use an inhaler correctly, problems with breathing can quickly lead to visits to the doctor or even a hospital.
To use inhalers correctly, a person needs to be able to hold the device and handle the parts correctly. In addition, the correct use of an MDI requires a person to be able to depress the canister and to take a deep breath at the same time.