Other medications for aerosol delivery.
Although aerosol therapy is most commonly used to treat asthma and COPD, there are a large number of aerosol medications now used or in development for other diseases. Mucoactive agents have long been available by aerosol, but now we have truly effective drugs to improve effective airway clearance including dornase alfa, hyperosmolar saline, and aerosol surfactant. Inhaled antibiotics are available for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and other chronic airway infections. With the development of devices that can target aerosol to the deep lung, the opportunity to deliver medications systemically by the aerosol route has become a reality. Insulin, recently approved in the US as aerosol therapy, and other peptides are systemically absorbed from the distal airway and alveolus. Aerosol gene transfer therapy to correct abnormalities associated with cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia and other airway diseases also holds great potential.
Rubin
Bruce K
BK
Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University, School of Medicine Medical Center, Boulevard Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1081, USA. brubin@wfubmc.edu
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005100:Expectorants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000336:Aerosols; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005100:Expectorants; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D013501:Surface-Active Agents