Surgery – Liquid medicament atomizer or sprayer
Patent
1993-07-06
1994-07-26
Burr, Edgar S.
Surgery
Liquid medicament atomizer or sprayer
12820023, 12820315, A61M 1100
Patent
active
053319532
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device in connection with an inhaler intended for measuring and recording of the inhalation course of a patient. The device is intended for use in medical treatment, e.g. in clinical tests, where there is a need for recording a course of events afterwards in order to be able to verify if the patient has taken medicine in the prescribed way. The device can also be used to detect the level of trouble of the patient between the patient's visits to a doctor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The omission of a patient to keep up to a medication prescribed by a doctor might be the reason for an unsuccessful treatment e.g. for cronical deseases. With a desease as e.g. asthma, where a continous medication program is necessary, it is especially important that the medication is performed in a prescribed way. Investigations have proven that between 30 and 50% of the patients take medicines irregularly and incorrect when they take the medicines themselves, which fact often is not discovered by the doctor in charge. The difficulty of recording how well the patient follows the prescriptions for the medication results in an unsatisfactory security in the evaluation of clinical tests.
One type of control systems for the medication of patients, used today, the so called MEMS.RTM. system, comprises different types of ordinary standard medicines containers, which are provided with microprocessors, which record date and moment for each opening and closing of the containers.
Another known control system, called Nebulizer Chronolog.RTM., consists of a small portable device, in which is contained a standard aerosol container. At each release of an aerosol dose, a contact device is actuated, whereby an electronical memory unit stores date and moment for each dosage fed out.
For a patient inhaling his medicine to receive an acceptable dosage to the lungs, however, it is necessary that the release of an aerosol dosage is coordinated with the inhalation of the patient. When using a powder inhaler device, the inhalation flow must reach a "critical flow" to make the powder dose follow the airflow and for the formation of a favourable particle picture, which can reach far enough down into the lungs.
The above disclosed known systems used today record the moment for each event when a medicine package is opened or each time a medicine dose is released, but these known systems lack the possibility of detecting if and when a satisfactory medication has been performed of the patient. With these systems one has not been able to receive a confirmation of that the patient really takes his dose and that the patient takes his dose in the prescribed way in order to get a medical effect.
Basic concept of the invention
The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems by a device in connection with an inhaler, which can measure and record if and when a satisfactory medication has been performed in a patient.
A device of the kind discussed in the beginning is according to the invention characterized in that a detector is provided in the inhaler in connection with a passage for the inhalation air-flow, whereby the detector is arranged to detect the inhalation airflow through the inhaler as well as the accessibility of the medicine at the inhalation, whereby the combination of the detected values determines if and when the inhalation should be recorded in the electronical unit.
Further advantageous features of the invention will be evident from the following description of embodiments and the sub-claims.
A change of sound or pressure occurring at the feeding of a powder dose, at the release of a pressure aerosol or at the punctuation of a powder capsule can be detected by a detector and the generated signal can subsequently be treated and recorded by the components in an electronical unit. A characteristic back noice or a pressure drop, which occurs in the inhaler at inhalation can be detected by the detector and can thereafter be treated and recorded by the electronical unit.
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Andersson Jan A. R.
Fagerstrom Per-Olof S.
Nilsson Nils G.
Wendel Thomas M.
Aktiebolaget Draco
Burr Edgar S.
Lewis Aaron J.
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