A nebulizer is a machine that turns water-based solutions into drops that are inhaled and small enough to reach the lungs (1 to 5 \u03bcm). It is usually used with drugs that help expand the lung passages, bronchi (bronchodilators). The direct delivery of the medication to the lungs reduces the dose and side effects [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The droplets are generated using different methods: air-blast atomization, high-frequency vibrations, and colliding liquid jets (more information is in the Components section). These often determine the kind of drugs used with the device and its cost [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Nebulizers are mostly used in patients that cannot use a specific breathing technique or coordinate their movements (hand-eye-breath coordination), such as in young children and the elderly. They are easily used as long as the person is breathing normally [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The use of home nebulizers is also recommended for patients with frequent airflow obstruction or low volume of breathing, or for those that need medications or doses not available for regular inhalers (dry-powder or metered-dose inhalers) [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Drops with a size 2 to 5 \u03bcm reach the higher parts of the airway while smaller drops (1 to 2 \u03bcm) can reach deeper [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n They reach the airways in different ways, such as by:<\/p>\n The nebulized drug must pass several barriers to be able to reach its target. In the upper airway, a layer of mucus covers the surface and removes foreign particles by \u201cpushing\u201d them out into the throat to be swallowed [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In the lower airway, white blood cells<\/a> (macrophages) \u201ceat\u201d foreign particles 1 to 2 \u03bcm in size. The nebulized drug must be small enough to reach the lower airway, and have a chemical composition that interferes with sticking to the mucus or that helps cross it [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The use of a mask is recommended for conditions such as allergic rhinitis. When looking to deliver a greater amount of aerosol into airways, a mouthpiece should be used to avoid being filtered by the nose [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The size of the inhaled particles should ideally be between 1 to 3 \u03bcm [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/medicine-and-dentistry\/nebulizer<\/a><\/p>\n In jet nebulizers, compressed gas generates the drops (as an aerosol) <\/strong>containing the medication. A reservoir tube that helps maintain a continuous flow is commonly used. A collection bag that collects the drops not inhaled is another option [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Other forms of jet nebulizers are the breath-actuated and breath-enhanced. While both help reduces the loss of medicine, <\/strong>their different designs also help minimize treatment times or deliver the desired dose more precisely [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The main disadvantage of jet nebulizers is that they are noisy. They also take more time for each treatment and tend to cool the solvent, which can be uncomfortable for the patient [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In this case, a crystal vibrates at high frequencies (more than 20 kHz) to create the drops. They usually are smaller, silent, and have shorter dosing times<\/strong>. However, they should not be used with suspensions or with medications that are damaged by heating (proteins) [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>Who Should Use It?<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Mechanism of Action<\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Nebulizer Components<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n<\/a>1) Compressor<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Jet Nebulizer<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Ultrasonic Nebulizer<\/h4>\n