WhoTake Asthma Medication (NAPSA)—Anew feature on an already available device may help patients ensure they are correctly delivering asthma medication into their lungs. This should be especially good news for parents of small children with asthma. Devices known as valved holding chambers, used in combination with metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), allow patients who cannot effectively use inhalers alone to deliver inhaled medications to their lungs. If an inhaler is not used properly, the correct amount of medicine may not reach the lungs, ending up in the mouth and throat whereit is not wanted. In the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma, and nearly 6 million are children, A currently available valved holding chamber now includes features that make it easier to monitor the technique for inhaling medicine, helping to take the guesswork out of whether an inhaler is being used properly. Called AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu, this valved holding chamber includes a visual indicator designed to ensure proper inhalation technique. The indicator will move each time a patient takes a breath, allowing patients and caregivers to visually confirm the device is being used correctly. The device also allows patients and caregivers to count the number of breaths a patient has taken. Counting helps assure that the patient has emptied the chamber and received the entire dose of medication. The chamber of the device has anti-static properties, which allow it to be used directly out of the A newfeature on an already available device may help patients ensure they are correctly deliver- ing asthma medication into their lungs. This should be especially good newsfor parents of small children with asthma. package without pre-treatment. Madeof anti-static polymers, the device works with the new HFA inhalers, which have replaced the old CFC inhalers. In addition, the device is manufactured free of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). Asthma affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood’. A chronic lung disease that inflames and narrowstheairways, asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing’. In the United States, more than 22 million people are known to have asthma, and nearly 6 million of these people are children, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute”. AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu is available by prescription only. More information about asthmais available on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s website, www.nhlbi.nih.gov. 15-1018449 fi] http:/ /www.nhlbi.nih.gov [health / dci / Diseases /Asthma /Asthma_WhatIs.himl fii] Ibid. fii] Ibid.
