Nebulizer Medicines

Nebulizer medications are liquid drugs that are inhaled into the lungs to treat asthma and other breathing problems. A nebulizer is used to convert the liquids into mists and provide a direct and rapid improvement of symptoms without requiring coordinated efforts needed for metered-dose handheld inhalers.

Types

• Liquid nebulizer medicines are bronchodilators or corticosteroids. Bronchodilators are drugs that affect respiratory muscles to open the airways and improve ease of breathing. Corticosteroids reduce swelling in the lungs and bronchioles to open the airways as well.

Time Frame

• Fast-acting dilators like albuterol are used for rapid emergency treatment, such as during an acute asthma attack, whereas longer-acting dilators such as salmeterol are used for daily control of breathing problems. Control medicines are often combined with inhaled corticosteroids twice daily to keep breathing consistently easy and to prevent acute attacks.

Nebulizer Benefits

• Nebulizer machines use air pressure to send medicines as a mist into the airways and lungs via a tube and mask. This ensures that all of the medicine gets into the lungs for the best effect and is preferred in young children and in the elderly, because these groups have poorer coordination and may not correctly use a handheld autoinhaler.

Considerations

• Although easier to use for some people, nebulizers can still be complicated, because the machine is bulky and has many parts and because it takes approximately 15 minutes, which is longer than necessary for a handheld inhaler.

Warning

• Nebulizers must be used correctly for the medicine to be effective. Data from the Allergy and Asthma Network suggests that directing the mist toward the face is not enough to provide benefit; the nebulizer mask must be placed over the nose and mouth so that the medicine reaches the airways and lungs.