- Definition- A spacer/holding chamber is a medical device also called a Delivery Enhanced Device (DED) approved by the FDA to be used by a patient to increase the effectiveness and safety of an asthma inhaler called a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). Spacers/Holding chambers are either made of medical grade polycarbonate plastic or metal. Spacers are usually cylindrical tubes (or a variant of a cylinder) with openings on either end. One opening is for insertion of the MDI, the other is for the mouthpiece. When an inhaler is activated, the drug is released into the empty cylinder. Most spacers have valves and whistles attached to the cylinder. The valve allows for proper inhalation and not exhalation into the device. Whistles are designed to correct for proper inspiratory flow rate.
- RiteFlo™ has a patented fixed flow regulator designed within the cylinder. It is the only spacer/holding chamber with this unique patented design. Fixed flow regulation negates the need for valves and whistles. This allows each inspiration of medication to be emitted from the spacer at 30 L/min, as recommended by NHLBI/EPR III 2007 Guidelines.
RiteFlo™ Is a Spacer/Holding Chamber That Improves Drug Delivery
- RiteFlo™ allows patients to better coordinate their inhaler technique.
- Instead of inhaling directly from an inhaler, (MDI or metered-dose inhaler) a patient can actuate their MDI directly into the RiteFlo™ and better time their inspiration and breath hold.
- RiteFlo™ allows young children to get the advantage of using inhaler medications, bypassing the need to coordinate breathing and activation technique of a pressurized inhaler. As long as the drug is suspended in air in the RiteFlo™ (6-8 seconds), any patient or child can inhale the medication, avoiding the problem of exact timing after actuation of a pressurized inhaler. Proper inhalation timing is usually very difficult for children and elderly patients, especially during an attack. The use of a this device solves this problem.
- Most patients, when taking pressurized inhalers, try to breathe in as fast as possible, hoping to get as much medication into their lungs as possible. Research studies show that the quick inhalation of medication results in the majority of the medication ending up either in the back of the throat (causing thrush, a yeast infection) or being swallowed into the stomach.
- RiteFlo™ reduces the amount of inhaled steroid medication deposited into the mouth and stomach. Steroid inhalers are safer when used in combination with a RiteFlo™, regardless of age of the patient.
- What are some of the side effects of steroid inhalers? The two most common side effects are: (1) thrush (oral candidiasis) and (2) dysphonia or hoarseness (weakening of the vocal cord muscles).
- Patients who use spacers/holding chambers can get more medicine into their lungs. Studies have shown that using an inhaler alone results in only 5-10 percent of the medication getting to the lungs. On the other hand, studies have shown that the use of spacers/holding chambers can increase the deposition of medication to the lung by at least 20 percent or more.
- The newly designed Spacer/Holding Chambers, are as effective as nebulizers for getting medicine into your lungs.
- The use of an inhaler with the RiteFlo™ is faster and significantly less expensive than nebulizers.