How Does Asthma Pump Work

What Causes An Asthma Attack

An asthma attack can happen when you are exposed to asthma triggers. Your asthma triggers can be very different from someone elses asthma triggers. Know your triggers and learn how to avoid them. Watch out for an attack when you cant avoid your triggers. Some of the most common triggers are tobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, cockroach allergen, pets, mold, smoke from burning wood or grass, and infections like flu.

Heres How To Use An Inhaler

What Are Nebulizers And Inhalers

Nebulizers and inhalers are tools that help kids take their asthma medicines. Most asthma medicines start out in liquid form. In order to work, they need to be breathed into the lungs.

Nebulizers and inhalers turn liquid medicine into a mist so that kids can breathe it in. Some inhalers release the medicine in a fine powder form that also can be breathed in.

These tools are effective when used properly. But each have their pros and cons so talk to your doctor about which one is best for your child.

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How Do You Take Asthma Medications

Asthma inhalers

Asthma inhalers are the most common and effective way to deliver asthma medicine to your lungs. Theyâre available in several types that work in different ways. Some deliver one medication. Others contain two medications. Your doctor might give you:

• A metered-dose inhaler, which uses a small aerosol canister to push out a short burst of medication through a plastic mouthpiece
• A dry powder inhaler, which releases the medicine only when you take a deep breath

Asthma nebulizer

If youâre having trouble using small inhalers, your doctor may recommend a nebulizer. This machine changes asthma medications from a liquid to a mist so itâs easier to get the medicine into your lungs. It also has a mouthpiece or mask that makes it a good option for infants, small children, older adults, or anyone who has trouble using inhalers with spacers. It takes a few more minutes to use than an inhaler.

Things To Know About Advair

Do not use Advair if you have a severe allergy to milk protein.1-3

If you have heart problems or high blood pressure, your doctor will evaluate you to decide if Advair is safe for you.1-3

Advair can affect growth in children. Doctors will regularly monitor the growth of children taking Advair.1-3

Advair can suppress the immune system since it contains the steroid fluticasone. Tell your doctor if you have a tuberculosis infection or untreated bacterial, viral, or fungal infection before taking Advair.1-3

When you take Advair, get regular eye exams. Advair can increase the risk for glaucoma and cataracts.1-3

After using your Advair inhaler, rinse your mouth with water to help prevent a fungal infection of the mouth. Do not swallow the water.1-3

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Advair. Advair should be used during pregnancy only if your doctor decides that the potential benefit outweighs any possible risks to your unborn baby.1-3

Advair may interact with certain drugs, including:1-3

• MAOI antidepressants or tricyclic antidepressants

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If You Have Asthma Your Healthcare Team Will:

• Explain how you can keep your asthma under control by avoiding your personal
• Prescribe medication that will help minimize your symptoms
• Show you how to take your medication properly, checking your inhaler technique
• Work with you so you have a written Asthma Action Plan
• Recommend that you visit on a regular basis so that your symptoms can be monitored and your treatments adjusted if necessary

Will I Always Have To Take The Same Amount Of Medicine

Not always. You will probably take more medicine when you begin treatment to get control of your asthma. Work with your doctor to learn which medicine control your asthma best and how much you need. Once your asthma is well-controlled, your doctor may be able to reduce the amount of medicine you take. The goal is to gain control of your asthma as soon as possible and then control it with as little medicine as possible. Once long-term anti-inflammatory therapy begins, your doctor should monitor you every one to six months. This is to see how your asthma medicines are working and if your asthma is well controlled.

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What Are The Forms Of Bronchodilators

There are two forms of bronchodilators:

• Short-acting bronchodilators. Short-acting bronchodilators quickly relieve or stop sudden asthma symptoms. Theyre effective for three to six hours. Another name for a short-acting bronchodilator is a rescue inhaler. Inhalers are canisters of medicine in a plastic holder with a mouthpiece. When you spray an inhaler, it gives a consistent dose of medication.
• Long-acting bronchodilators. Long-acting bronchodilators keep your airways open for 12 hours. You use these inhalers every day to prevent asthma attacks.

Combination Single Maintenance And Reliever Therapy

The guidelines were published in December in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunologyand on the NHLBI website.

The combination medication has been found to be more effective for helping you avoid unexpected trips to the emergency room or your doctors office, and can also help you avoid larger corticosteroid doses which with long-term use raise the risk of side effects such as , high blood pressure, , and .

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Reliever Inhaler Top Tips

What Are The Different Types Of Asthma Medicines And Treatments

There are four types of asthma medicines and treatments:

The difference between these asthma treatments can be confusing. It is important to understand what each treatment does and how they help your asthma. Learning how to use each correctly can you help keep your asthma well-controlled. Always take your medicines as directed by your doctor and follow your Asthma Action Plan.

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Do I Need An Asthma Preventer

If you have asthma and find yourself needing to use your Ventolin reliever more than once a week, this suggests that Ventolin alone is insufficient in managing your condition. In these cases, it is likely that you will need a preventer inhaler in addition to Ventolin.

If your breathlessness is severe please attend your local A& E department straight away.

Additional Feature: Valved Holding Chamber

A valved holding chamber is a device that is placed on the mouthpiece of the metered-dose inhaler . It has a one-way valve that prevents you from breathing into the device. It can be used with a mouthpiece or facemask.

There are several advantages of using a valved holding chamber. You do not need to coordinate releasing the medication and breathing. You release the medication first. Then you breathe in. It also prevents medication from spraying directly into the back of your mouth and sticking there. Using this device can help get more medication into your lungs.2Figure 2. Metered dose inhaler with a valved holding chamber

To use the valved holding chamber with a metered dose inhaler:2,3

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What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Advair

The most common side effects of Advair include:1-3

• Throat irritation

• Bone thinning or weakness with long-term use

If you experience symptoms of airway tightening, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face/mouth/lips/tongue, or skin reactions, stop using Advair and contact 911 right away.

These are not all the possible side effects of Advair. Talk to your doctor about what to expect or if you experience any changes that concern you during treatment with Advair.

How To Cope With Side Effects Of Salbutamol Inhalers

What to do about:

• feeling shaky â see if your asthma or COPD symptoms get better with just 1 puff of your inhaler rather than 2. If you find you need 2 puffs for symptom relief, be reassured that the shakiness will wear off after a short time.
• faster heartbeat for a short while â make sure you are not taking more than the prescribed dose. If this happens regularly, talk to your doctor or nurse as you may need your treatment reviewed so that you do not need to use your salbutamol as often.
• headaches â make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking salbutamol. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe.
• muscle cramps â if you get unusual muscle ache, which is not from exercise or hard work, talk to your doctor.

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Heres Why Asthma Inhalers Are So Expensive

In 2013, the New York Times published an expose on the high price of asthma inhalers, in an article headlined The Soaring Cost of a Simple Breath.

So whats happened in the 7 years since? Prices have only gotten worse.

A GoodRx analysis of cash prices for asthma inhalers shows that prices climbed about 35% from 2013 to 2018, from an average price of around $280 in 2013 to more than $380.

The average cash price for one inhaler of , a leading medication for asthma, increased from $316 in 2013 to $496 in 2018 a 56% increase. The average cash price for , another widely prescribed brand, increased 41% between 2013 and 2018, from $207 to $292.

The average inhaler price combines prices for 16 leading inhaler products. These numbers are based on a representative sample of prescription fills at U.S. pharmacies. They reflect overall U.S. prescriptions, not fills using GoodRx. The data comes from several sources including pharmacies and insurers and provides a representative sample of nationwide U.S. prescription drug volume.

Even worse, high costs for asthma disproportionately hit underinsured and uninsured individuals. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in some states as many as 20% of people with asthma do not have insurance and are forced to pay out of pocket for their inhalers. Even more, individuals lacking insurance tend to live in lower-income areas, which tend to have higher rates of asthma.

The Standard Mdi Inhaler

A standard MDI is shown above. The MDI has been used for over 40 years and is used to deliver various types and brands of medicines. It contains a pressurised inactive gas that propels a dose of medicine in each puff. Each dose is released by pressing the top of the inhaler. This type of inhaler is quick to use, small, and convenient to carry. It needs good co-ordination to press the canister and breathe in fully at the same time. Sometimes these are known as evohalers .

The standard MDI is the most widely used inhaler. However, many people do not use it to its best effect. Common errors include:

• Not shaking the inhaler before using it.
• Inhaling too sharply or at the wrong time.
• Not holding your breath long enough after breathing in the contents.

Until recently, the propellant gas in MDI inhalers has been a chlorofluorocarbon . However, CFCs damage the Earths ozone layer and so are being phased out. The newer CFC-free inhalers work just as well, but they use a different propellant gas that does not damage the ozone layer.

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Different Kinds Of Inhalers

There are three basic types of inhalers that deliver medications. The most common is the metered-dose inhaler which uses pressure to push the medication out of the inhaler. Nebulizers use air or oxygen and deliver a mist of the medication through a tube or mask that fits over your nose and mouth. Dry powder inhalers deliver medication, but they require a strong and fast inhalation.

Short-acting bronchodilators are used as quick-relief, reliever, or rescue inhalers. These bronchodilators open the airways and help stop or relieve acute asthma attacks very quickly. While theyre best known for working on sudden attacks, theyre also great to use before exercise to help stop asthma during your workout.

While many people use short-acting bronchodilators, the overuse of an inhaler, tablet, or liquid/nebulizer, is a sign of uncontrolled asthma that needs better treatment. If you are using short-acting bronchodilators more than twice a week, call Charleston Allergy & Asthma about improving your asthma control therapy.

Long-acting bronchodilators provide control, not quick relief, of asthma. Your board-certified allergist will prescribe the medication, which is usually taken twice a day along with inhaled steroids for long-term monitoring of symptoms.

Unlike short-acting inhalers, long-acting inhalers do not work on muscle inflammation directly. Instead, they help the airways relax, allowing more air to pass through.

Types Of Preventer Inhaler

There are different types of corticosteroid preventer inhaler. They can be different colours, but most are brown.

• Metered dose inhalers give the medicine in a spray form . This is the one you can use with a spacer.
• Breath actuated inhalers release a spray of medicine when you begin to inhale.
• Dry powder inhalers give the medicine in a dry powder instead of a spray.

You can talk to your GP or asthma nurse about the best inhaler device for you.

If you find your inhaler difficult to use, you can see if there is another device you might find easier.

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How Do I Use A Bronchodilator Inhaler

Its important to use your bronchodilator inhaler properly to get the full medication dosage. The following steps will help you properly use your bronchodilator inhaler:

How And When To Use Your Inhaler

Only use your salbutamol when you need it. This may be when you notice symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest or you know that you are going to do an activity that can make you breathless, for example climbing stairs or sport. You should feel a difference to your breathing within a few minutes.

The normal way for adults and children to use their inhaler is:

• 1 or 2 puffs of salbutamol when you need it
• up to a maximum of 4 timesin 24 hours

Salbutamol is sometimes prescribed to prevent breathing symptoms happening in the first place. This could be before a trigger such as exercise or exposure to pets. In this situation, the normal dose is still 1 or 2 puffs at a time.

If you need to use your inhaler more than 4 times in 24 hours:

• it may mean that your health problem is getting worse and that you need different treatment
• you are more likely to get side effects such as increased heart rate, jitteriness, nervousness and headaches

Make an appointment to see your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you need to use your inhaler:

• more than 4 times in 24 hours
• more than 2 days of each week
• in the middle of the night at least once a week

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