How to Use a Dry Powder Inhaler

A dry powder inhaler (DPI) is a device for taking medicine that must be breathed into the lungs (inhaled). The device is also called a disk inhaler. Your doctor will tell you how often to use your inhaler.

What are the risks?

If you do not use your inhaler correctly, medicine might not get to your lungs to help you breathe.

Inhaler medicine can cause side effects, such as:

• Mouth infection.
• Throat infection.
• Cough.
• A voice that sounds rough (hoarseness).
• Headache.
• A feeling that you are going to throw up (nausea).
• Throwing up (vomiting).
• Lung infection (pneumonia). This can happen if you have chronic obstructive lung (pulmonary) disease (COPD).

Supplies needed:

• An inhaler. The medicine that you will need is already in the inhaler.

How to use a dry powder inhaler

1. Remove any gum or candy from your mouth.
2. Stand or sit up straight.
3. Hold the inhaler in one hand.
4. Put the thumb of your other hand in the thumb grip of the inhaler. Next, push your thumb away from you as far as it will go.
5. Hold the inhaler flat, like a hamburger, with the mouthpiece facing you.
6. Use your other hand to slide the lever that is near the mouthpiece away from you until you hear a click.
7. Turn your head and breathe out. Do not breathe out into the mouthpiece.
8. Turn your head back to the mouthpiece and seal your lips around it.
9. Take a deep breath through your mouth. Do not breathe through your nose.
10. Hold your breath for 10 seconds.
11. Remove the inhaler from your mouth, turn your head, and breathe out slowly.
12. Close the inhaler. To do this, slide the thumb grip back to the closed position.
13. Check the number on the inhaler that shows how much medicine (how many doses) the inhaler has in it. The number should go down by one each time you use the inhaler.
14. Rinse your mouth with water.

General recommendations

• Do not drop or shake your inhaler.
• Do not wash your inhaler. If the mouthpiece gets dirty, use a dry cloth to wipe it clean.
• Do not breathe into the inhaler.
• Store your inhaler in a dry place at room temperature. Do not store it in your bathroom.
• Keep track of your doses:
  • When the dose number turns red, you have five doses left. That means it is time to pick up a new inhaler at your pharmacy.
  • When the dose number shows zero (0), throw away the inhaler.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Take your inhaled medicine only as told by your doctor.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have a sore mouth.
• You have a sore throat.
• You have a lasting (persistent) cough.
• Your voice changes.
• You have a fever.
• You have any of these problems after starting to use your inhaler:
  • You get headaches often.
  • You often have a feeling that you are going to throw up.
  • You throw up often.
• Your asthma or COPD symptoms have not improved after you have been using your inhaler for a few weeks.

Get help right away if:

• You have very bad shortness of breath.
• You have trouble breathing.

Summary

• A dry powder inhaler (DPI) is a device that has medicine in it that should help you breathe better.
• Follow instructions from your doctor about using your inhaler.
• Your doctor will prescribe the strength of the medicine and how often you need to inhale it.
• Keep your inhaler dry. The medicine in the inhaler must be kept dry.
• If you have any questions about how to use your inhaler, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.