Abstract
Drug delivery by aerosol may have several advantages over other modes, particularly if the lung is the target organ. Aerosol delivery may allow achievement of higher concentrations while minimizing systemic effects and offers convenience, rapid onset of action, and avoidance of the needles and sterile technique necessary with intravenous drug administration. Aerosol delivery may change the pharmacokinetics of many drugs, however, and an awareness of the caveats of aerosolized drug delivery is mandatory to ensure both safety and adequate drug delivery. This paper discusses the administration of surfactants, anti-inflammatory agents, and analgesics by the aerosol route.
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Douglas F Willson MD, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Richmond–VCU Medical Center, Old City Hall, 1001 E Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 205A, Richmond, VA 23219. E-mail: dwillson{at}mcvh-vcu.edu.
Dr Willson discloses a relationship with Discovery Laboratories.
Dr Willson presented a version of this paper at the 53rd Respiratory Care Journal Conference, “Aerosol Drug Delivery in Respiratory Care,” held June 6–7, 2014, in St Petersburg, Florida.
↵* James B Fink PhD RRT FAARC, James B Fink LLC, San Mateo, California, and Division of Respiratory Therapy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, representing Aerogen.
↵† Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, representing InspiRx.
- Copyright © 2015 by Daedalus Enterprises