Using valved reservoirs and spacers to enhance the effectiveness of inhaled drugs

Valved holding chambers (VHCs) and spacers extend the mouthpiece of the inhaler and direct the cloud of medication toward the throat, reducing the amount of medication released into the air or inside the mouth.

A spacer does not suspend the medication, so you must still coordinate your breath to begin slightly before actuating the MDI. However, a valved holding chamber uses a one-way valve to trap and suspend particles of medication long enough to be inhaled over a period of a few seconds. Holding chambers are available for use with and without masks sized for infants to adults.

Why Should I Use a Valved Holding Chamber or Spacer with our Inhaler?

Inhaled medications target inflamed and congested airways directly, but getting them deep into the lungs depends on the user’s ability to position and depress the metered-dose inhaler (MDI) a split second after beginning a slow, deep inhalation. Sounds easy, but when the dose of medicine leaves the inhaler at about 60 miles an hour, a lot can be lost to the air or stuck to the top of the tongue, sides of the cheeks, or back of the throat and swallowed before making it to the airways.