Systems and methods are described for monitoring usage of a medicament dispenserparticularly an inhaled medicament dispenser. While operating in a low-power mode, a first sensor is monitored for a signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser by a user. In response to detecting such handling, the device exits the low-power mode and begins to monitor a second sensor for a signal indicative of dispensing of the medicament. The usage monitoring device can be embodied as an attachment configured to be selectively coupled to one of a variety of different inhalers including, for example, a Diskus-type inhaler and a Respimat-type inhaler.

An inhaler for facilitating inhalation of dry powder includes a body defining an interior space and a mouth piece. At least one annular member is positioned within the interior space and is rotatable with respect to the mouth piece. The at least one annular member includes a plurality of compartments. Each compartment defines a cavity configured to hold dry powder. Each compartment includes at least one flap and an opening configured to release the dry powder when the at least one flap is reconfigured from a closed position to an open position. The at least one flap covers the opening and inhibits the dry powder from being released from the cavity in the closed position.

A dose ring for a dry powder inhaler (DPI) device includes an aluminum foil member covering particulate medication cavities and through holes. The device includes hinged flaps formed by a cut so that one radial side is uncut and forms a hinge. Each flap can cover both a cavity for particulate medication and a through hole located between that cavity and the circular inside edge of the dose ring.

An apparatus for metering the delivery of an aerosol. The apparatus has a variable acoustic source and a microphone, both acoustically coupled to a volume having a fluid region and an air region. The apparatus may also include a processor to determine a volume of the air region based on signals received from the microphone and the variable acoustic source. A fluid valve is coupled to the processor, and is configured to allow an amount of fluid to exit the fluid region associated with the volume of the air region. An atomizer, coupled to the fluid region, is configured to aerosolize at least a portion of the fluid.

The integration of drug dispersion methods into a drug or medicine delivery system may use shear (e.g., air across a drug, with or without a gas assist), capillary flow or a venturi effect, mechanical means such as spinning, vibration, or impaction, and turbulence (e.g., using mesh screens, or restrictions in the air path). These methods of drug dispersion allow for all of the drug in the system to be released, allowing control of the dosage size. These methods also provide for drug metering, fluidization, entrainment, deaggragation and deagglomeration. The integration of a drug sealing system into the device provides a way of blocking the migration of drug from one area of the package to another. The drug seal system can also provide a method of tightly containing the drug until the package is opened, of directing airflow through the package and of managing and containing the drug during the package/device manufacturing process.

A blister packaging for a pharmaceutical cartridge or capsule and methods of forming same are disclosed.

Methods of fabricating and operating dry powder inhalers that include dose disks and airway channel disks with sealant layers, the airway channel disks forming radially-extending discrete, typically dose-specific, airway channels serially forming a portion of the inhalation pathway to deliver dry powder to a user using the inhalers.

A medicament dispenser for dispensing medicament comprising: a diskette assembly comprising: at least one medicament carrier carrying multiple distinct medicament portions; a medicament carrier advancing mechanism for actuating the distinct medicament portions; a flow channel; a lever; and an outer cover for said flow channel, wherein the outer cover is adapted to couple with the lever and the medicament carrier advancing mechanism.

The present system is directed in various embodiments to devices, systems and methods for detection, evaluation and/or monitoring olfactory dysfunction by measuring and determining the patient's olfactory detection threshold for the left and the right nostril. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices, systems and methods for detecting an asymmetric differential in a patient's olfactory detection threshold (left vs right nostril) which, when present, may be used as a tool to screen, detect, diagnose and/or monitor relative olfactory deterioration resulting from Alzheimer's disease. A preferred embodiment comprises cascading aromas by serially administering more than one pure odorant to the patient's nostrils, left vs right, with measurement of the time, or numbers of breaths, required to cognitively notice the pure odorants' presence.

A method of packaging at least one dry powder medicament may include assembling a first plurality of medicament cavities in a first row and assembling a second plurality of medicament cavities in a second row. The second row may be arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first row. Each medicament cavity of the first plurality of medicament cavities in the first row and a corresponding medicament cavity of the second plurality of medicament cavities in the second row may form a pair of medicament cavities. The method may further include depositing dry powder medicament into at least one medicament cavity of at least one of the first plurality of medicament cavities and the second plurality of medicament cavities. The method may also include sealing each pair of medicament cavities with a respective removable sealing element.