An accessory (50,80) adapted to be used with a breath actuated inhaler (10), the breath actuated inhaler (10) comprising an air inlet (19), an outlet (20) for delivering medicament and a trigger mechanism (30) for triggering the delivery of a dose of the medicament in response to a flow (40) between the air inlet (19) and the outlet (20), wherein the accessory comprises: a pressure assist unit (52, 54) for application to the air inlet, comprising an assist chamber (52) for holding a volume of air and a mechanical release system (54, 70) for expelling air from the assist chamber to the air inlet, at a rate sufficient to trigger the trigger mechanism. Hence, it has an assist chamber for holding a volume of air and a mechanical release system for expelling air from the assist chamber to the air inlet, at a rate sufficient to trigger a dose trigger mechanism of the breath actuated inhaler. In this way, a user may use a breath actuated inhaler even if they do not have the ability to generate an inhalation suitable for activating the inhaler.

The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows an effective delivery of aerosolized medicament (e.g., a surfactant) to the patient's lungs. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention provides an efficient delivery of the aerosol medicament (possibly breath synchronized). A glass vial in which medicaments are usually stored and shipped is used directly as a component of the system. Its function in the system is that of an intermittently pressurized chamber that can inject the surfactant into the catheter of the atomizer device. According to a preferred embodiment the delivery can be done in phase with the beginning of each inspiration. The main elements of the system are: a source of compressed gas, the already mentioned medicament vial, a catheter, and optionally means to detect the breathing pattern and a control unit.

Provided is a system comprising an inhaler. The inhaler comprises a use determination system. The use determination system is configured to determine a parameter relating to airflow during a use of the inhaler by a subject. The use determination system also assigns a time to the use. The system also comprises a user interface, and a processing module. The processing module is configured to determine inhalation information from the parameter, and control the user interface to issue a notification that the inhalation information is available. The notification is issued at a notification time. The processing module is configured to implement a deliberate time delay such that the notification time is delayed relative to the time assigned to the use.

An inhaler having an air inlet, a medicament source, and an outlet for delivering an air and medicament admixture to a user, the inhaler including a primary power supply for powering the controller and a sensor for detecting a recent shake event, wherein, the sensor is independent of the primary power source and, in use, the sensor provides the controller with a signal indicative of any recent shake event upon the powering up of the controller prior to use of the inhaler.

The present invention provides a dry powder inhaler comprising: a reservoir containing a dry powder formulation and an arrangement for delivering a metered dose of the medicament from the reservoir; a cyclone deagglomerator for breaking up agglomerates of the dry powder medicament; and a delivery passageway for directing an inhalation-induced air flow through a mouthpiece, the delivery passageway extending to the metered dose of medicament, wherein the formulation comprises an inhalable β.sub.2-agonist having a particle size distribution of d1O<1 μπ.Math.=1-3 μπ.Math., d90=3.5-6 μm and NLT 99% 10 μm and a lactose carrier.

An apparatus to administer drugs to mechanically ventilated patients includes a mechanical ventilator, an artificial airway to be associated to a patient and a ventilation circuit connecting the mechanical ventilator to the artificial airway. The ventilation circuit includes: an inspiratory line, a dry powder inhaler disposed in line on the inspiratory line and a connector operatively connected to the dry powder inhaler and to the inspiratory line. The connector includes: a first duct facing an outlet port of the dry powder inhaler and connected or configured to be connected to a tube section of the inspiratory line placed downstream the dry powder inhaler; a second duct facing an air inlet port of the dry powder inhaler and connected or configured to be connected to a tube section of the inspiratory line placed upstream the dry powder inhaler.

Provided is a system (10) for determining a probability of a CORD exacerbation in a subject. The system comprises a first inhaler (100) for delivering a rescue medicament to the subject. The rescue medicament may be suitable for treating the subject's acute respiratory disease, for example by effecting rapid dilation of the bronchi and bronchioles upon inhalation of the medicament. The first inhaler has a use-detection system (12B) configured to determine a rescue inhalation performed by the subject using the first inhaler. The system optionally includes a second inhaler for delivering a maintenance medicament to the subject during a routine inhalation A sensor system (12A) is configured to measure a parameter relating to airflow during the rescue inhalation and/or during the routine inhalation, when the second inhaler is included in the system. The system further comprises a processor (14) configured to determine a number of the rescue inhalations during a first time period, and receive the parameter measured for at least some of the rescue and/or routine inhalations. The processor then determines, using a weighted model, the probability of the CORD exacerbation based on the number of rescue inhalations and the parameters. The model is weighted such that the parameters are more significant in the probability determination than the number of rescue inhalations. Further provided is a method for determining the probability of a COPD exacerbation in a subject, which method employs the weighted model.

A warning system for use with an inhaler includes an operating mechanism that is configured to be actuated to a reset state, a primed state, and a fired state. The inhaler dispenses a metered dose of a medicament upon actuation of the operating mechanism from the primed state to the fired state. The warning system includes a control circuit that is activated upon actuation of the operating mechanism from the primed state to the fired state. The warning system also includes an alert device communicably coupled to the control circuit and configured to generate a warning. Further, the control circuit is configured to control the alert device to generate the warning until the operating mechanism has been actuated from the fired state to the reset state.

The present disclosure relates to methods for treating a respiratory system of a subject, as well as medicine delivery devices for delivering an aerosol medicine to a subject in need thereof. A benefit to the methods herein can be generating a respiratory pattern of a subject that can accurately measure inhalation and exhalation patterns, which can in turn provide a benefit of more efficient and timely delivery of an aerosol medicine to a subject in need thereof. Additional benefits to the methods and devices herein can be helping to improve treatment outcomes, as well as avoiding wastage of expensive medicines. Additional benefits to the medicine delivery devices disclosed herein can be non-invasive, low cost, lightweight, compact, versatile, and simple to use devices useful for a wide range of patients and healthcare settings. Another benefit of the medicine delivery devices can be providing a single-use device that can lower the risk of infection for patients and healthcare providers.

The present invention provides a method for estimating an amount of a powder shaped material passing a bend in a flow channel, such as how much drug from an inhaler reaches the lungs of a person. The estimation is based on both the flow rate of the inhalation as well as the rate of release of the drug into the flow channel, where the rate or release itself depends on the flow.