Inhaled Medications Practice Flashcards

Applications and Utility of Inhaled Medications

• Inhaled medications are primarily utilized for two distinct medical purposes:

  • Induction of anesthesia during surgical procedures.

  • Treatment of various respiratory disorders.

Professional Administration Roles and Delivery Equipment

• Anesthetic Administration:

  • Administered exclusively by anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists.

  • Delivered via specialized anesthetic machines during surgery.

• Nursing Administration:

  • Nurses are responsible for administering other classifications of inhaled medications.

  • Common delivery methods include:

    • Mechanical ventilators.

    • Handheld nebulizers.

    • Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs).

Technical Mechanisms of Delivery Devices

• Mechanical Ventilators and Nebulizers:

  • Liquid medications are deposited into a specific receptacle within the device.

  • The medication is converted from a liquid state into a gas form when air or oxygen flows over the substance.

• Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI):

  • Description: A small, handheld device used by the patient.

  • Operation: The patient must press the device prior to inhalation.

  • Metered Dose: Each individual press of the cartridge releases a precisely set dose, known as a metered dose.

The Function and Implementation of Spacers

• Device Integration: Patients may use MDIs either with or without an attached spacer device.

• Mechanism: Spacers function by trapping the dose of medication after it is released from the canister.

• Clinical Utility: These devices are particularly useful for patient populations that cannot coordinate the physical requirements of MDI use, specifically:

  • Children.

  • Older adults.

• Specific Challenges Addressed:

  • Difficulty inhaling slowly.

  • Poor coordination between pressing the canister and timing the inhalation.

Pharmacokinetics and Bronchodilator Therapy

• Physiological Impact:

  • These medications produce rapid effects directly on the lungs.

  • Medications are absorbed rapidly by the systemic circulation.

• Bronchodilator Medications:

  • Common application: Frequently administered through either nebulizers or MDIs.

  • Clinical Purpose: Utilized to open the airways of the lungs and to promote ease of breathing.

Nursing Assessment and Monitoring Requirements

• Assessment Timing: It is mandatory to assess the patient's respiratory status both before the administration and after the administration of inhaled medications.

• Respiratory Status Assessment Components:

  • Reported ease of breathing: The patient's subjective feedback regarding their respiratory effort.

  • Breath sounds: Objective auscultation findings.

  • Respiratory rate: The frequency of breaths per minute.

  • Accessory Muscle Use: Observation of the patient for the use of accessory respiratory muscles during breathing.