PAST AND PRESENT TRENDS OF DRY POWDER INHALER DEVICES: A REVIEW

Abstract

Administration of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) for to the management of respiratory diseases has improved significantly in modern lifetime. Currently there is a vast margin of available DPIs that differ not only in the design-plan, effective operational techniques that are requisite, output features and the delivery of drug across an assortment of inhalation pattern. Diverse patient population possibly make choice of individual types of DPI as it is precisely easier to use when in comparison to the other types and preferring the right DPI which shall fulfil a particular requirement for patient will certainly enhance the patient compliance along with the therapy. For instance some DPIs are found to put forth a greater resistance against inspirational flow rate contrast to others which undoubtedly affects the total emitted dose (TED) and also the fine particle fraction (FPF) of aerosol that has been released. As a consequence an individual patient may receive different doses of drug while inhaling from the different DPIs. For that reason, it is essential that the prescriber should be in complete knowledge of the characteristics of different types of DPI, in order to prescribe the device which is most appropriate to the individual patient’s needs. The present study sights the features of currently accessible DPIs, evaluates their effectiveness, usage, patient acceptability, drugs administered by that inhaler. The variation in output characteristics, availability and patient’s selection between the available devices has revealed to have an effect on treatment efficacy and patient compliance through therapy. Altering the DPI that has been prescribed to the patient to a cost effective or a generic device may consequently affect disease control and thereby amplify the cost of treatment.