Koronis Biomedical Technologies (KBT) proposes to develop an inhaler training system for elder patients with the goal of improving the use of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs). Inhalers deliver medication directly to the lungs and are widely used to treat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in older patients. It is also very important for clinicians to assess an elder patient's overall inhalation capability when prescribing a particular inhaled medication. Often, an older patient cannot achieve the required inhalation maneuver for an inhaler. Studies have repeatedly observed that a significant proportion of inhaler users are not using their inhalers correctly. When correctly administered, inhaled medications are highly effective in treating COPD and reducing morbidity and mortality. Correct inhalation technique is critical for the successful use of pMDIs and DPIs. Yet proper inhaler technique is difficult for patients to maintain, and compliance has been shown to deteriorate with time. Improper technique results in suboptimal medication delivery and has significant consequences, including increasing emergency room visits and lower quality of life scores. Frequent reassessment and retraining have been recommended by the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and it has been shown that training needs to be regularly repeated and reinforced.
Public Health Relevance Statement: Narrative Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death by disease in the United States. More than 16 million people have been diagnosed with the progressive lung disease. Properly administering inhaled medications for the treatment of COPD could have a significant impact on managing the disease.
Project Terms: Aerosols; Elderly; advanced age; elders; geriatric; late life; later life; older adult; older person; senior citizen; Air Movements; air flow; airflow; Cause of Death; Chicago; Clinic Visits; Clinical Research; Clinical Study; Critical Care; Diagnosis; Disease; Disorder; Drug Industry; Pharmaceutic Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Drugs; Medication; Pharmaceutic Preparations; drug/agent; Education; Educational aspects; Emergency medical service; emergency service; Evaluation Studies; Feedback; Goals; Gold; Human; Modern Man; Inhalators; Inhaler; Laboratories; Lung; Lung Respiratory System; pulmonary; Lung diseases; Pulmonary Diseases; Pulmonary Disorder; Respiratory Disease; Respiratory System Disease; Respiratory System Disorder; disease of the lung; disorder of the lung; lung disorder; Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease; COPD; Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease; Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Physician Executives; Medical Directors; Medicine; Methods; Morbidity - disease rate; Morbidity; mortality; Nurses; nurse; Patients; Pediatrics; Periodicity; Cyclicity; Rhythmicity; Pharmacists; Powder dose form; Powders; pressure; Production; Quality of life; QOL; Research; Resources; Research Resources; Computer software; Software; medical specialties; Specialty; Educational process of instructing; Teaching; Time; Training Support; United States; Universities; Measures; Training Technics; Training Technique; Caring; base; dosage; improved; Phase; Medical; Training; tool; instrument; Disorder Management; Disease Management; programs; Clinic; Route; Techniques; System; respiratory; Performance; professor; hospital re-admission; re-admission; re-hospitalization; readmission; rehospitalization; hospital readmission; novel; Devices; Biomedical Technology; Property; Manufacturer; Manufacturer Name; MDI Inhaler; Metered Dose Inhalers; Metered Dose Inhaler Device; Dose; Symptoms; Adherence; Computer Analysis; computational analyses; computational analysis; computer analyses; Principal Investigator; Development; developmental; Health Professional; Health Care Professional; Healthcare professional; Instruction; design; designing; older patient; elderly patient; human study; Step training; Step retraining; innovation; innovate; innovative; Resistance; resistant; usability; aerosolized; Emergency department visit; ED visit; ER visit; Emergency care visit; Emergency hospital visit; Emergency room visit; Inhalation; Inhaling; side effect
