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Asthma how-to

An important part of controlling asthma is learning the skills for administering your medicines correctly. These skills help ensure you get as much medicine as possible into your lungs, and can help reduce side effects. It is also important to learn how to use a peak flow meter for monitoring how well your asthma is under control.

Below, you will find visual step-by-step presentations to help you develop these skills, as well as "text only" versions that are easier to print. Note: Dry Powder Inhalers are usually activated by inhaling, not by a propellant. Therefore, they don't require the coordination between breathing and squeezing as needed for metered dose inhalers. Each device comes with its own instruction guide.





metered dose inhalers

nebulizers

peak flow meters

spacers

Text-only instructions

How to use an inhaler
How to use a nebulizer
How to use a peak flow meter
How to use a spacer

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Review Date: 5/16/2007
Reviewed By: Alan Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief Medical Officer, A.D.A.M., Inc.


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