How Do I Know that My Asthma Inhaler Is Empty?
How Do I Know that My Asthma Inhaler Is Empty?Answer: I’m always surprised how infrequent this question is posed to me, probably because the answer seems obvious: The inhaler is empty when it stops spraying. Unfortunately, this answer is completely wrong. HFA-based metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) utilize a propellant to deliver the medication, and the propellant will continue to spray long after the medication has run out. Therefore, it is possible to continue to use an asthma inhaler while inhaling only propellant and no medicine. Obviously, this can present a major concern, especially when it comes to rescue inhalers used for the emergency treatment of asthma symptoms. For people taking the new HFA-based metered-dose inhalers (MDIs), knowing when the inhaler is empty, or close to being empty, can be a challenge. The currently available albuterol inhalers, with
