Inhalation method and apparatus

• US 20070125370A1
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Respironics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Respironics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dyche, Anthony, Denyer, Jonathan, Prince, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback

Abstract

A drug delivery apparatus of the type which releases a drug in aerosolized form into the inhaled airstream of a person, programmed to release the drug in a pulse which ends a pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling. In doing so, a minimum residence time within the lungs is created, and drug treatment time can be reduced. A corresponding method of controlling a drug delivery apparatus comprises the step of controlling the apparatus to release the drug in aerosolized form into the inhaled airstream of a person in a pulse which ends a pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling.

Claims

1. A drug delivery apparatus for releasing a drug in aerosolized form into the inhaled airstream of a person, the drug delivery apparatus having a processor programmed to release the drug in a pulse which ends a pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling to effect an aerosol hold in which the minimum lung residence time is at least 0.5 second.

2. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aerosol hold gives a minimum lung residence time of about 1 second.

3. A drug delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to release the drug in a pulse in a pre-set proportion of the expected period of inhalation in the event that a breathing threshold is not reached.

4. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the breathing threshold is a minimum expected duration of inhalation.

5. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the minimum expected duration of inhalation is about twice the pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling when the pulse ends.

6. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the breathing threshold is a minimum tidal volume.

7. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the breathing threshold is about 1 litre.

8. The drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-set time is between 0.75 seconds and 1.5 seconds.

9. The drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-set time is about 1 second.

10. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device further comprises an airflow sensor which senses the person'"'"'s inhaled airstream.

11. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the drug delivery device further comprises a memory for holding any one or more of the following:

(i) the duration of inhalation of a number of recent inhalations;

(ii) the average duration of inhalation of a number of recent inhalations;

(iii) the pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling;

(iv) the breathing threshold;

(v) programming instructions on the operation of the apparatus.

12. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the operation of the apparatus, and calculates the length of the pulse of release of the drug.

13. A drug delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a timer.

14. A method of controlling a drug delivery apparatus of the type for releasing a drug in aerosolized form into the inhaled airstream of a person, the method comprising:

controlling the apparatus to release the drug in aerosolized form into the inhaled airstream of a person in a pulse which ends a pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling to effect an aerosol hold in which the minimum lung residence time is at least 0.5 second.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the aerosol hold gives a minimum lung residence time of about 1 second.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises creating an estimate of the duration of inhalation.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein creating an estimate of the duration of inhalation includes timing the duration of inhalation of one or more earlier breaths.

18. A method according to claim 14, further including a breathing threshold wherein the drug is released in a pulse for a pre-set proportion of the expected period of inhalation in the event that the breathing threshold is not reached.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the breathing threshold is a minimum expected duration of inhalation.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the minimum expected duration of inhalation is about twice the pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling when the pulse ends.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the breathing threshold is a minimum tidal volume during inhalation.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the breathing threshold is about 1 litre.

23. A method according to claim 14, wherein the pre-set time is between 0.75 and 1.5 seconds.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein the pre-set time is about 1 second.

25. A method according to claim 14, further comprising sensing the person'"'"'s inhaled airstream.

26. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises storing any one or more of the following in memory:

(i) the duration of inhalation of a number of recent inhalations;

(ii) the average duration of inhalation of a number of recent inhalations;

(iii) the pre-set time before the person is expected to stop inhaling;

(iv) the breathing threshold;

(v) programming instructions on the operation of the apparatus.

27. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises calculating the length of the pulse in which the drug is released.

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)