As the saying goes, take medicine when you are sick, but some medicines are not for eating but for “inhaling”. This is not surprising, such as “asthma” and other respiratory diseases, often need to inhale drugs to treat. The advantages of inhaled drugs are many: for example, they are inhaled directly into the affected area, which has a large effect with few side effects and is convenient to use. But the advantages are advantages, if you do not pay attention to some details in the process of inhalation of drugs, the role of inhalation drugs can be greatly reduced, and may produce side effects. According to the different apparatus of inhaled drugs, can be divided into two categories. One type is MDI (quantitative aerosol), which is a sealed vial, which contains drugs, and add a compressed gas such as Freon, press the bottom of the vial, will be sprayed out of the drug. Another category is dry powder inhaler, which is a drug packed in an inhalation apparatus and relies on the patient to inhale the drug into the lungs by force. Depending on the apparatus, it is divided into several different types such as DuPao, Quasi-Naer, HandiHaler, etc. Today I will talk to my friends about the small details to pay attention to when using these appliances. The first point: “Check how much medicine is left in the bottle before you use it” Most inhaled drugs are already pre-loaded in the inhalation apparatus at the pharmacy. For MDI, pre-shake before use, while feeling whether there is a drug inside, but also can play the role of mixing drugs. In the case of Dupo, the quasi-nasal device, you need to pay attention to the sign on the device showing the amount of medication before use. When the amount of medicine is not much, you can go to the hospital to allocate a new one to prepare. The second point: “If you use a dry powder inhaler, add medicine before inhaling”. For dry powder inhalers, add a dose of medication before inhaling it. For example, DuPao, the quasi-nasal device, although the drug has been put in the pharmaceutical plant, but before using the required action needs to be completed to add a dose of drugs. As if there are bullets in the magazine, but before shooting, you have to pull the bolt to load, but this is an old rifle, once on the bullet to fire once. In other words, each dose of drugs inhaled before you have to add a dose of drugs. HandiHale is not pre-dosed, each time you have to put a pill inside, while pressing a button to pierce the pill. The third point: “Exhale deeply before inhaling the medication, and do not exhale towards the mouthpiece” Before inhaling any medication, you will do a deep exhale first. You need to exhale as much as possible to make room for your lungs to inhale the medication. Here’s another small detail you should be aware of. Never exhale into the mouthpiece of the device. This is especially important when it comes to dry powder inhalers. If you exhale into the mouthpiece of the inhaler, the powder will be blown out, and the moist exhalation will cause the powder to condense and not be easily inhaled. This of course will affect the efficacy of the treatment. The fourth point: “Inhale the medicine with deep and long force, and hold it for ten seconds after inhaling” In the previous step, you have finished exhaling, and this step is to inhale. Wrap your lips around the nozzle and inhale as hard and as long as you can. When using MDI, you need to connect to the pressure reservoir at the same time to spray out the drug for inhalation. For dry powder inhalers, you don’t have to do anything else because you have already added the medication, you just have to inhale it. Suction enough, you do not rush to exhale, it is best to hold on 10 seconds, so as to facilitate the absorption of drugs. The fifth point: “do not swallow after inhaling the drug, water gargling is very important” When inhaling the drug, the drug will inevitably be deposited in the throat, this part of the drug if eaten, over time will produce side effects. At the same time, the deposited drugs will also have a bad effect on the throat. Therefore, do not swallow after inhaling the medicine, and at the same time, you must rinse your throat with water. I think if you pay attention to these details, it will be convenient and effective to use inhaled drugs!