ABSTRACT

For over 30 years, inhaled medications and their devices, represent a therapeutic option for the management of several respiratory diseases. At present, there are specific indications to some nebulized drugs, i.e. bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids in diseases such as asthma and COPD; antibiotics in patients with cystic fibrosis and pulmonary vasodilators in pulmonary arterial hypertension; however, other clinical conditions that are characterized by acute airway inflammation and mucus production are a challenge for the clinician to establish a proper strategy between all therapeutic options and the best delivery system. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview based on available information about nebulized drugs; also, it describes specific characteristics for each available device.

KEYWORDS

Aerosol propellants, bronchodilator agents, adrenal cortex hormones, antibiotics, mucolytics, nebulizers.

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