Respiratory Care: Ensuring MDIs are used effectively

Written by AlisonFreemantle on Friday 6th June 2025

Smart Respiratory

Did you know?

  • Some patients use inhalers long after they’re empty because there is no dose counter –risking life-threatening asthma attacks.
  • Some patients discard inhalers that still have doses left.
  • The number of doses left in a canister can be calculated by weighing  

Smart Respiratory are looking for volunteer pharmacies to help collect data from patient returned MDIs.

What does it involve:

  • Engage with the patient returning the MDI and offer to weigh the canister
  • Weigh the canister (scales provided by Smart Respiratory)
  • If less than 0 doses explain to the patient that they have been using an empty MDI and not getting any drug just propellent
  • If more than 0 doses return to patient to continue using
  • Capture minimal data on record sheet provided

Darshan Negandhi – Community Pharmacist

‘At a local pharmacy in south-west London we weighed returned ‘empty’ inhalers and were astonished. Many were still half full or beyond empty’.

If you are interested or would like more information please contact: antony@smartrespiratory.com

Supporting this pilot Smart Respiratory have created a Smart Inhaler Dongle for pressurised MDI inhalers.

  • Track doses
  • Monitor adherence/compliance
  • Set reminders to take medication
  • Notification when inhaler is empty

More information:

 

 

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