MEDICAL DEVICES

Asthma Control:

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

Hi there, remember me? I’m Julie, your asthma trainer. Do you remember earlier in our conversation I mentioned I use a couple of devices to deliver my medications? I told you I’d talk about these later in this training, and here we are!

My asthma medications need to have the best chance of getting into my lungs. For a controller medication, I inhale corticosteroids with a spacer. For a reliever during an attack, I use an albuterol inhaler.

Unless you’re an asthmatic, these probably mean nothing to you, so let me introduce you to these devices and a couple of other common ones. Then you’ll get to see how different people use different devices for their asthma. Click on the arrow to your right and here we go!

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

Click on each picture below to learn more about each device

This device is called a Meter Dose Inhaler (MDI). They deliver medications as sprays, and are sometimes called “puffers”.

This is called a spacer and it attaches to an MDI to maximize medication to the lungs. It also helps reduce side effects.

This spacer with a mask is best for small children or people who can’t use the regular spacer with mouthpiece.

A nebulizer, depicted here, delivers rescue medications in a fine mist. It is usually only used in acute situations or urgent care facilities.

This device is called a Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) and delivers a powered medication. The powder must be inhaled quickly and deeply, something a child over the age of 7 usually should be able to do correctly.

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

This is a picture of the medical device that I use to inhale my controller medications. I put the spacer mouthpiece in my mouth, pump the MDI which releases a meter-dose amount into the chamber. I then breath in and hold it for 10+ seconds. The chamber helps me maximize the amount of medication I get into my lungs.

Meter Dose Inhaler (MDI) with medication canister inside

Spacer mouthpiece

Chamber

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

Now remember that I said I use something different for my reliever meds when I have an attack? What I use to relieve an asthma attack is just an inhaler (MDI) without the spacer. It looks like this picture below. It’s more convenient to carry in a purse or pocket than the an MDI with the spacer. This feature makes it great for active young people, like my Shelby, pictured below.

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

Hi, I’m Shelby and I’m 15 years old. I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma two years ago. I was directed by my doctor to take 2 puffs of my controller medication through an inhaler (MDI) with a spacer before exercise or other exerting activities. I also am supposed to carry my reliever medication with me on my runs. Based on what you’ve learned about each of the medical devices for delivery of asthma medications so far, click on which two do you think I use?

Meter-Dose Inhaler (MDI)

MDI with spacer

MDI with mask

Dry-Powder Inhaler (DPI)

Nebulizer

Correct!

She uses the MDI w/ spacer for controller meds and the MDI

alone to take on runs for rescue meds.

Correct!

She uses the MDI w/ spacer for controller meds and the MDI

alone to take on runs for rescue meds.

Incorrect. MDI w/ mask is for small

children.Incorrect.

DPI’s are powders usually used for children.

Incorrect.Nebulizers are used in urgent

care facilities.

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

I’m an avid runner and follow doctor's instructions about 2 puffs before running. However, last week I chose to carry my phone instead of my rescue inhaler medications with me on my run. I ran in very cold weather that night and had a severe attack two miles from home. I couldn’t breath. I was able to text my parents to come get me. They took me to an Emergency Room and I was given a breathing treatment there.

Choose which device below Shelby would use in the specific circumstance listed.

A. B.

1. Before a run A B C.

C.

2. During attack

3. At Emergency Room

A

A

B

B

C.

C.

No. This doesn’t have a

spacer.

Correct. This inhaler with

spacer is what I’m directed to use

before runs.

No. This is a nebulizer

Correct. This inhaler is small and convenient to carry on runs in case of attack..

No. This is a nebulizer

No. This MDI with spacer is

too big to pack on a run.

Correct. A nebulizer is used in E.R.’s for acute attack treatment

No. This is an MDI (meter-dose inhaler). It

doesn’t deliver as much medicine as a nebulizer.

No. This is an MDI with spacer and can’t deliver as

much medicine as a nebulizer

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

So now that you’ve seen a few of the medical devices and which circumstances they are used, I’d like you to meet Brandon. You’ll learn more about Brandon in later segments—mostly about his triggers and how to figure his Asthma Tracker and Asthma Control Plan. For right now, just click on Brandon to learn more about the specific medical device he uses and why.

Learning to Monitor and Control Your Asthma

Hi there, I’m Brandon! I’m 8 years old and love soccer. I’m super active and don’t like to be bogged down with a bunch of stuff in my pockets that gets in the way of my play time. I’m going to let you practice what you know about medical devices here. You’ve already learned about 3 devices and 2 spacers. If you’re feeling a little fuzzy on those, you can refer to the previous slides for a refresher. But, back to me. You already know enough about me and asthma devices by now to have a pretty good idea of which of the following devices I carry with me. Go ahead, give it a try and click on one, I’ll be sure to let you know if you’re right or not!

No, this is a mask for babies and kids 7 and

under . Try again.

No, this is a nebulizer and used in urgent care facilities. Not for little

boy’s’ pockets. Try again.

No, this is a spacer with mouthpiece and

inhaler. It’s too big to carry this device around.

Try again.

Correct! great job! This Dry-Powder Inhaler (DPI) is

perfect in size I’m old enough to use correctly