ABSTRACT
Nebulizers generate aerosols from liquid-based solutions or suspensions for medical applications. The nearly 100 years since the first electric nebulizer was invented have witnessed a remarkable growth and refinement of nebulizer technology and design and a similarly remarkable evolution of nebulized medications. Today's jet or pneumatic nebulizers are smaller, lighter, less noisy, and more efficient, with breath-enhanced and breath-actuation capabilities, better particle size control, and faster delivery times. “Intelligent” mesh-based delivery, and devices with performance-monitoring capabilities, represent the most recent steps in nebulizer evolution. The results of recent surveys and clinical trials that considered patient-reported COPD-related outcomes show that many patients prefer to receive aerosol therapy by nebulizers, and that they remain an important option for the treatment of respiratory tract diseases.
