Inhaler

A handheld medical device that delivers medication into the lungs as an aerosol or powder for inhalation. Its design disperses a measured dose into particles that can travel through the airways.

Metered-dose inhaler: A pressurized inhaler that releases a measured aerosol dose when its canister is actuated. Its propellant and metering valve deliver medication as a timed spray.
Asthma: A chronic disease in which airway inflammation and variable narrowing cause breathing symptoms. Inhaled reliever and controller medicines are central to asthma treatment.
Pulmonary drug delivery: The administration of medicines to the lungs by inhalation. Inhalers are portable devices within this broader drug-delivery approach.
Oral medication: Medicine taken by mouth and absorbed through the digestive tract or oral tissues. Unlike inhalers, oral medicines reach the body without being breathed into the lungs.
Medication adherence: The extent to which a person follows an agreed medication regimen. A device that is difficult to use can make regular inhaled treatment harder to sustain.
Dry-powder inhaler: An inhaler that disperses powdered medication using the patient's inhalation. The patient's inspiratory flow, rather than a propellant, disperses its dose.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A progressive lung disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation, commonly associated with smoking. Bronchodilators and other inhaled medicines help manage its symptoms and exacerbations.
Respiratory tract: The connected airways and lung structures through which air moves during breathing. Inhaled particles travel through this system before depositing in the lungs.
Pressurized metered-dose inhaler: A metered-dose inhaler that uses a pressurized propellant to expel medication as an aerosol. It is a specific aerosol device whose dose release must be coordinated with inhalation.
Inhaler errors: Mistakes in preparing, actuating, or inhaling a dose from an inhaler. Errors can leave medication in the mouth or device instead of delivering it to the lungs.

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