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The Different Types Of Inhalers To Treat The Symptoms Of COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a group of diseases of the lungs. It includes asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, etc. All these ailments are known to make breathing harder. Medicines like inhaled steroids and bronchodilators bring the swelling down and open up the airways to make breathing easier.

There are three types of COPD inhaler medications. These are:

  • Metered-dose inhaler or MDI
  • Dry powder inhaler or DPI
  • Soft mist inhaler or SMI

Metered dose inhaler

An MDI is a handheld device.

The Different Types Of Inhalers To Treat The Symptoms Of COPD
It delivers the medicine to the lungs in aerosol form. There is a mouthpiece attached to the canister, and when pressed, a chemical propellant releases a puff of asthma medicine into the lungs. The MDI needs you to time your breathing along with the push of the medicine. However, if you find it difficult to do, you can use a spacer which is a separate device to help to coordinate your inhalation with the release of the drug.

The medicines available to be used with MDI are:

  • Steroids: Beclomethasone (Beclovent, QVAR), Ciclesonide (Alvesco), Fluticasone (Flovent HFA)
  • Bronchodilators: Albuterol (Proventil HFA, ProAir HFA, Ventolin HFA), Levalbuterol (Xopenex HFA)
  • Combination steroid/bronchodilators: Budesonide-formoterol (Symbicort) Fluticasone-salmeterol (Advair HFA), Formoterol-mometasone (Dulera)

Dry Powder Inhaler

DPI carries the medicine into your lungs when you breathe in using the device. It does not use a propellant to deliver the drug into your lungs. Instead, the medicine is activated by your inward breath.

The medicines available to be used with DPI are:

  • Steroids: Budesonide (Pulmicort Flexhaler), Fluticasone (Flovent Diskus), Mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler)
  • Bronchodilators: Albuterol (ProAir RespiClick), Salmeterol (Serevent Diskus), Tiotropium (Spiriva HandiHaler)
  • Combination steroid: Fluticasone-vilanterol (Breo Ellipta), Fluticasone-salmeterol (Advair Diskus)

Soft mist inhaler

The SMI is newer than the rest of the devices. It makes a cloud of drug which can be inhaled without taking the help of a fuel. Since the mist has more particles than DPIs and MDIs and the spray is released from the inhaler more slowly, more drugs could get into your lungs.

The medicines available to be used with SMI are:

  • Bronchodilators: Tiotropium (Spiriva Respimat), Olodaterol (Striverdi Respimat)
  • Combination steroid: Sciolto Respimat combines tiotropium and olodaterol.

It is good to know that if you use your inhaler medications COPD properly, you will get relief from the symptoms of COPD.

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