Delivery of aerosol medications for inspiration

An apparatus for releasing an aerosol from a reservoir of aerosol generating material for inspiration by a person characterized by:

• a valve associated with the reservoir for releasing an amount of aerosol generating material from the reservoir to form an aerosol;
• a sensor for monitoring inspiratory flow through a flow path;
• means for calculating a firing threshold parameter based on a sensed flow parameter of a detected inspiratory flow;
• means for determining whether each detected inspiratory flow meets the firing threshold parameter and for decreasing a previous calculated firing threshold parameter from said means for calculating a firing threshold parameter in response to failure of a patient to meet said previous firing threshold parameter;
• and
• means for operating the valve to deliver an amount of aerosol in response to the detected inspiratory flow satisfying the provided delivery threshold.

A method for delivering an aerosol to a person for inspiration using an apparatus for releasing from a reservoir an aerosol generating material for inspiration by a person, said apparatus having a supply of aerosol generating material, a valve associated with said reservoir for releasing an amount of aerosol generating material to form an aerosol and a sensor for detecting the inspiratory flow through a flow path, said method characterized by:

• monitoring the inspiratory flow through a flow path;
• calculating a firing threshold parameter based on the monitored inspiratory flow;
• determining whether each detected inspiratory flow is one of a first flow detected following a reset flow event or a subsequent flow detected following a detected first flow that is not followed by a reset flow event, the reset flow event being any of a release of an amount of aerosol and initialization of operation of the apparatus;
• selecting a delivery threshold corresponding to a point in the detected inspiratory flow at which an amount of aerosol is to be released characterized by selecting a preselected delivery threshold in response to the detected inspiratory flow being a determined first flow and selecting a calculated delivery threshold that is calculated based on a sensed flow parameter of the preceding detected inspiratory flow in response to the detected inspiratory flow being a determined subsequent flow;
• and
• determining whether or not the detected inspiratory flow satisfies the selected delivery threshold and
• (i) in response to the detected inspiratory flow satisfying the selected delivery threshold, operating the valve to release an amount of aerosol generating material to form an aerosol;
• and
• (ii) in response to determining that the detected inspiratory flow did not satisfy the selected delivery threshold, calculating a new delivery threshold based on the detected inspiratory flow so that the selected delivery threshold for the next detected inspiratory flow determined to be a subsequent flow is the last calculated delivery threshold.

An apparatus for releasing an aerosol from a reservoir of aerosol generating material for inspiration by a person characterized by:

• a valve for releasing an amount of aerosol generating material from the reservoir to form an aerosol;
• a sensor for monitoring the person's inspiratory flow through an inspiratory flow path;
• inspiration calibration means for automatically determining, based on a selected flow or volume parameter of a first monitored inspiration flow, a delivery threshold for releasing an amount of aerosol;
• and
• means for controlling the valve in response to a second monitored inspiratory flow satisfying the delivery threshold, thereby to release the amount of aerosol during the second inspiratory flow, the second monitored inspiratory flow following the first monitored inspiratory flow.

A method for administering an aerosol from a reservoir of aerosol generatinq material for inspiration by a person using an apparatus having a supply of aerosol generating material, a valve for releasing an amount of aerosol generating material to form an aerosol, and sensor for detecting an inspiratory flow of a person through an inspiratory flow path, said method characterized by:

• (a) monitoring said inspiratory flow of said person through said inspiratory flow path;
• (b) automatically determining, based on a selected flow or volume parameter of a first monitored inspiratory flow, a delivery threshold for the release of an amount of aerosol;
• and
• (c) operating the valve in response to a second monitored inspiratory flow satisfying the determined delivery threshold to release an amount of aerosol for inspiration during the second monitored inspiratory flow, the second monitored inspiratory flow following the first monitored inspiratory flow.

A system for dispensing aerosolized medication for inspiration by a patient from a reservoir of medication under pressure characterized by:

• a valve in communication with the reservoir for releasing an amount of medication to form an aerosol;
• a sensor for monitoring the patient's inspiratory flow;
• inspiration calibration means for automatically determining, based on a selected flow or volume parameter of a first monitored inspiration flow, a delivery threshold for releasing an amount of aerosol;
• and
• means for actuating the valve more than one time to release more than one pulse of aerosol medication in response to sensed inspiratory flow satisfying a selected delivery threshold.

A hand held device for delivering aerosolized medications for inspiration characterized by:

• a tube forming a flow path having a mouth end and an open end;
• a nozzle disposed in the tube directed toward the mouth end;
• a flow transducer for measuring a patient's breath flow in a non-linear flow path, at least a portion of said non-linear flow path being incorporated in a disposable unit, said flow transducer being disposed in the inspiratory flow path;
• a reservoir for a selected one of the medications incorporated in said disposable unit;
• means, including a look-up table or an algorithm stored in a memory, for controlling flow of the selected one of the medications in said non-linear flow path by compensating for non-linearity in said non-linear flow path;
• a receptacle having a valve seat for receiving a valve stem for a supply of aerosol generating material;
• an aerosol flow path extending from the valve seat to the nozzle;
• a valve interposed in the aerosol flow path for opening and closing the flow path;
• and
• means for actuating the valve to open and close the flow path for delivering an amount of aerosol out the nozzle.

An apparatus for inhalation therapy of a patient characterized by:

• a sensor for monitoring a patient's breath flow including inspiratory flow through a flow path;
• an inhaler device containing a supply of aerosol generating material including medication for releasing an amount of aerosol medication for inspiration in response to a detected inspiratory flow exceeding a delivery threshold;
• means for determining a pulmonary function based on a measure of the detected breath flow, the determined pulmonary function being selected from among the group consisting of forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate;
• means for comparing a first determined pulmonary function based on a first detected breath flow and a second determined pulmonary function based on a second detected breath flow and determining relative changes in the determined pulmonary function in response to released aerosol medication over time and
• a display device for displaying a parameter corresponding to relative changes in the first and second determined pulmonary functions.

A method for controlling inhalation therapy using an inhaler device including a supply of aerosol generating material including medication and having a valve for releasing an amount of aerosolized medication for inspiration by a patient in response to a sufficient inspiratory flow characterized by:

• monitoring a patient's breath flow including the inspiratory flow;
• determining a pulmonary function based on a detected breath flow, the determined pulmonary function being selected from among the group consisting of forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate;
• comparing a first determined pulmonary function based on a first detected breath flow and a second determined pulmonary function based on a second detected breath flow;
• determining relative changes in the determined pulmonary function in response to aerosol medication released over time;
• and
• displaying a parameter corresponding to the determined relative changes in the first and second determined pulmonary functions.

Apparatus for displaying a measured pulmonary function of a person characterized by:

• a flow path;
• a sensor for monitoring a breath flow of the person through the flow path;
• means for determining a pulmonary function of the person based on a measure of the sensed breath flow, the determined pulmonary function being selected from among the group consisting of forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate;
• a first visual indicator corresponding to a first predetermined range of pulmonary functions having an on state and an off state;
• a second visual indicator corresponding to a second predetermined range of pulmonary functions having an on state and an off state;
• and
• means for turning on the visual indicator whose preselected range includes the determined pulmonary function.

A method for displaying a measured pulmonary function of a person characterized by:

• monitoring the breath flow of a person through a flow path;
• measuring a breath parameter of the detected breath flow;
• determining a pulmonary function of the person based on the measured breath parameter, the determined pulmonary function being selected from among the group consisting of forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate;
• turning on a first visual indicator having an on state and an off state in response to the determined pulmonary function being in a first range of pulmonary functions;
• and
• turning on a second visual indicator having an on state and an off state in response to the determined pulmonary function being in a second range of pulmonary functions.

A portable, hand held device for administering aerosolized medication for inhalation therapy of a patient characterized by:

• a sensor for monitoring breath flow through a nonlinear flow path, at least a portion of said non-linear flow path being incorporated in a disposable unit;
• a reservoir being incorporated in said disposable unit;
• a means, including a look-up table or an algorithm stored in a memory, for controlling flow of the selected medication in said non-linear flow path by compensating for non-linearity in said non-linear flow path;
• a clock for providing the date and time;
• an inhaler device for releasing a selected amount of aerosol from a supply in response to a sensed inspiratory flow satisfying a delivery schedule;
• and
• a battery operated microprocessor having memory for recording a log of the date, time and amount of each amount of aerosol released during any sensed inspiratory flow and a parameter corresponding to the sensed inspiratory flow at the time of release of each amount of aerosol;
• an
• a data port for transmitting the recorded log data to an external device.

A method for administering aerosolized medication for inhalation therapy using an inhaler device for releasing an amount of aerosol from a supply into a sensed inspiratory flow, characterized by:

• monitoring breath flow in a non-linear flow path at least a portion of said non-linear flow path being incorporated in a disposable unit;
• monitoring the operation of a clock providing date and time information;
• releasing a selected amount of aerosol in response to a monitored inspiratory flow satisfying a delivery threshold;
• recording in memory a log of the date, time and amount of aerosol released each time an amount of aerosol is released, and a parameter corresponding to the inspiratory flow at the time of each release of an amount of aerosol;
• and
• transferring the recorded contents of the memory to an external device.

A hand held device for delivering an aerosolized medication for inspiration characterized by:

• a tube forming a flow path having a mouth end and an open end;
• a nozzle disposed in the tube for insertion of the aerosolized medication into the tube;
• a flow transducer for measuring a patient's breath flow in a non-linear flow path, at least a portion of said non-linear flow path being incorporated in a disposable unit, said flow transducer being disposed in the inspiratory flow path;
• a reservoir for the medication incorporated in said disposable unit;
• means, including a look-up table or an algorithm stored in a memory, for controlling flow of the aerosolized medication in said non-linear flow path by compensating for non-linearity in said non-linear flow path;
• an aerosolizer operatively coupled to said reservoir and positioned to deliver the aerosolized medication through the flow path out the nozzle.