- Drug absorption from inhalation aerosols is administered by positive-pressure ventilation.
This form of therapy minimizes systemic side effects and bypasses the first-pass
metabolism of drugs in the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
- Pressure sensor measures aerosol flow
- Applications: pressurized meter dose inhalers (pMDIs) for cancer, AIDS, diabetes
and asthma
Aerosol Drug Delivery
Aerosols are an increasingly common way of treating cancers, AIDs, diabetes, and,
of course, asthma -- by inhaling a drug in aerosol form.
These nebulizers and inhalers, are able to sense a very slight inhalation and responsively
deliver medication into the person's lungs. The oral inhalers used by asthma sufferers
are one such example. The key is that for these devices to operate satisfactorily,
the sensors must detect inhalation pressures as low as 0.018 psi. The sensor cases
functions as a low-pressure switch and activates circuitry to perform the actual
drug delivery.
The advantage of a MEMS-based pressure sensor in this application is that, in addition
to performing the switching function, it can extract additional information about
a patient's inhalation patterns. For example, variable and precise quantities of
medication can be delivered based on the sensed strength of a person's inhalation.
Additionally, devices can be developed that properly train an individual to inhale
for maximum benefit. The medical industry is looking closely at using solid-state
pressure sensors in many portable, handheld, and bedside drug-delivery devices.
For more information contact SMI sales at sales@si-micro.com.