Dry powder inhalers in COPD, lung inflammation and pulmonary infections.
BACKGROUND
The number of pulmonary diseases that are effectively treated by aerosolized medicine continues to grow.


METHODS
These diseases include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung inflammatory diseases (e.g., asthma) and pulmonary infections. Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) exhibit many unique advantages that have contributed to the incredible growth in the number of DPI pharmaceutical products. To improve the performance, there are a relatively large number of DPI devices available for different inhalable powder formulations. The relationship between formulation and inhaler device features on performance of the drug-device combination product is critical. Aerosol medicine products are drug-device combination products. Device design and compatibility with the formulation are key drug-device combination product aspects in delivering drugs to the lungs as inhaled powders. In addition to discussing pulmonary diseases, this review discusses DPI devices, respirable powder formulation and their interactions in the context of currently marketed DPI products used in the treatment of COPD, asthma and pulmonary infections.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a growing line of product options available for patients in choosing inhalers for treatment of respiratory diseases. Looking ahead, combining nanotechnology with optimized DPI formulation and enhancing device design presents a promising future for DPI development.
The University of Arizona, College of Pharmacy, Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center , 1703 E. Mabel St, Tucson, AZ 85721 , USA +1 520 626 2768 ; +1 520 6262 7355 ; mansour@pharmacy.arizona.edu.
Priya
P
Muralidharan
Don
D
Hayes
Heidi M
HM
Mansour
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D058995:Dry Powder Inhalers; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000336:Aerosols
dry powder inhaler devices; dry powder inhaler products; inhalable powders; pulmonary drug delivery; solid-state formulation