What Is an Inhaler?
Millions of people rely on their inhalers to help control asthma symptoms and to lessen the severity of asthma attacks. There are different types of inhalers and medicines they administer, depending on the individual and the situation for which the inhaler is needed.
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Function
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Inhalers are used to control asthma by delivering medication directly to the lungs, working more quickly and with fewer side effects than oral or intravenous asthma medications.
Types
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Inhalers come as either metered dose inhalers (MDIs) in which an aerosol canister helps to puff the medicine out, or dry powder inhalers (DPIs) that need to be breathed in deeply.
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Medicine Administered
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Different types of inhalers administer different kinds of medicines, including varying levels of anti-inflammatories, bronchodilators or a combination of the two.
Considerations
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Inhalers may either be short-acting or long-acting, and an asthmatic may have more than one kind. One may be used to control symptoms on a daily basis, while another may be for acute asthma attacks.
Warning
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Never use an inhaler that was not prescribed by your physician, and always follow the instructions exactly. If you are having an asthma attack and your inhaler is not providing relief, call 911 immediately.
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