Metered dose inhaler biofeedback training and evaluation system

A training method for teaching inhalation drug administration to a human subject comprising the steps of:

• measuring normal subject respiration in an airflow conduit operatively connected to the subject's respiration passages, an airflow bi-directional flow sensor and an aerosol material supply;
• generating a signal representative of subject normal resting respiratory airflow;
• integrating the airflow signal to provide a real time tidal volume signal;
• visually displaying the tidal volume signal in a time axis volumetric display;
• determining normal lung expiration level and full normal inspiration volume for at least one subject's resting respiratory cycle;
• determining in a subsequent respiration cycle when the subject's lung expiration level is achieved below the predetermined normal resting expiration level;
• initiating a dosage cycle by transmitting to the subject a command signal to manually activate flow of aerosol material from the aerosol supply into the airflow conduit, and;
• visually displaying to the subject during the dosage cycle a prescribed tidal volume inspiration-expiration flow pattern, thereby permitting controlled introduction of the aerosol material with a predetermined inspiration volume and flow rate and affecting deposition of aerosol material in the subject's lung during the dosing cycle prior to expiration.

A system for sensing and displaying in real time a variable analog function representative of respiration air flow for visual comparison with a predetermined dosing cycle analog function representative of an optimal prescribed respiration condition, comprising:

• means for generating an analog signal representative of the variable analog function;
• display means for visual display of said variable analog function and said predetermined dosing cycle analog function, having scanning means with a predetermined frame time, a scanning beam and having a predetermined scan raster and frame;
• means for determining a normal expiration volume;
• means for generating a prompt signal when said normal expiration volume is exceeded beyond a predetermined volume;
• first memory means for storing said predetermined dosage cycle analog function as a waveform;
• means for providing and storing digital signals representative of the variable analog function in second memory means;
• metered dose cycle initiation means, manually actuated in response to said prompt signal;
• manually actuated means for reading out each of said first memory means and second memory means in timed relation to the scan rate of said display means, and;
• means for generating a display in said display means when a value read out from either of said first and second memory means corresponds to a current scanned position of said display means.

A real time biological performance evaluation and metered dose training device which comprises:

• means for measuring normal resting respiratory air flow and generating a flow signal representative of said air flow;
• means for integrating said air flow signal with relation to a time base and generating a volumetric signal representative of the integrated air flow;
• means for detecting a predetermined lung exhalation volume and initiating an ideal volumetric respiration pattern concurrently with a prompt signal;
• manually actuated means for introducing a metered dose of aerosol material into inspiration airflow;
• means for comparing the volumetric signal with the ideal volumetric respiration pattern;
• and
• means for visually displaying the volumetric signal and ideal pattern in visually discernible superimposed observation modes on a dynamic display.

Inhalation therapy apparatus for enhancing patient performance during inhalation of aerosol treatment materials comprising:

• airflow conduit means for receiving inspiration and expiration air from the patient;
• manually actuated means for introducing a metered dose of aerosol material into the airflow conduit means;
• means for generating a first signal representative of airflow;
• means for indicating a cyclic expiration point representative of lung exhaustion;
• dosage signal means for indicating to the patient beginning of an inspiration cycle and substantially simultaneous manual activation of said manually activated means;
• and
• means for indicating completion of air intake in said inspiration cycle and manual actuation of said manually actuated means.