Asthma: Ways to Take Inhaled Medicines

Use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) with:

• Beta2-agonists.
• Corticosteroids.
• Anticholinergics.

• Adults and children

• Doctors recommend the use of a spacer with a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). The spacer is attached to the MDI. A spacer may deliver the medicine to your child's lungs better than an inhaler alone and, for many people, is easier to use than an MDI alone. Using a spacer with inhaled corticosteroid medicine can help reduce their side effects and result in less use of oral corticosteroid medicine.
• A spacer is recommended for children age 5 and older.
• A spacer and a face mask are recommended for children younger than 5.
• Using a spacer with an MDI may be just as effective as and less expensive than a nebulizer and can reduce the risk of an overdose.
• If you don't use a spacer, you need to trigger a puff of medicine and inhale at the same time.

Use a dry powder inhaler (DPI) with:

• Beta2-agonists.
• Corticosteroids.

• Children 4 years and older and adults

Use a nebulizer with:

• Beta2-agonists.
• Cromolyn.
• Anticholinergics.

• Any age that cannot use an MDI with a spacer

• A nebulizer uses a face mask or mouthpiece to deliver the medicine.
• The medicine can be given over a long period of time.
• Nebulizers may be helpful for those who are ill, have serious difficulty breathing, or have trouble using an inhaler—especially infants, very young children, and older adults.
• A nebulizer is not very precise in delivering medicine, and there is a risk of getting too much medicine (overdose).
• A nebulizer needs electricity to turn the medicine into a fine mist. Some nebulizers have a large compressor that does this. Other ones are portable and come with batteries.