Researchers investigated whether transparent capsules in dry powder inhalers improved medication delivery by providing visual feedback to patients.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Transparent Capsules Improve Medication Delivery – Patients using transparent capsules in dry powder inhalers showed a 30.1% reduction in capsule weight after inhalation, compared to 8.6% for those using opaque capsules, indicating more medication was delivered.
- Consistent Results Across Disease Severity – The study found that the improvement in medication delivery with transparent capsules was consistent regardless of the severity of the patient’s chronic airway disease.
- Potential for Better Disease Management – The findings suggest that transparent capsules offer patients visual feedback on their inhalation technique, which could enhance treatment adherence and improve management of chronic airway conditions.
A new study examined whether patients with non-reversible chronic airway disease using a transparent capsule in single-dose dry powder inhalers affects the amount of medication delivered.
The goal was to determine if patients who use transparent capsules that allow them to see if the medication has been fully inhaled have better inhalation results compared to those using opaque capsules.
Researchers conducted an observational cross-sectional study between October 2020 and October 2022 at a tertiary university hospital. The study involved 91 patients using long-acting bronchodilators with single-dose dry powder inhalers for chronic airway disease. Patients used their inhalers under supervision, and the weight of the capsule was measured before and after inhalation to assess how much of the medication was delivered.
The inhalers examined were 28 (30.8%) cases with HandiHaler (Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc) (opaque capsule), 17 (18.7%) with Zonda (Teva UK Ltd) (transparent capsule), and 46 (50.5%) with Breezhaler (Novartis AG) (transparent capsule).
Main results:
- Patients using transparent capsules had a significant decrease in capsule weight after inhalation, with a 30.1% reduction compared to an 8.6% reduction for opaque capsules, indicating more medication was delivered.
- The change in capsule weight was consistent regardless of the severity of the patient’s airway disease.
The findings, published in The Annals of Family Medicine, suggest that using transparent capsules in dry powder inhalers could improve medication delivery by providing patients with visual feedback on their inhalation technique. This could lead to better management of chronic airway diseases by ensuring that patients receive their full dose of medication.
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