Background: Nebulizers are medical devices that deliver aerosolized medication directly to lungs to treat a variety of respiratory diseases. However, breathing patterns, respiration rates, airway diameters, and amounts of drugs delivered by nebulizers may be respiratory disease dependent.
Method: In this study, we developed a respiratory simulator consisting of an airway model, an artificial lung, a flow sensor, and an aerosol collecting filter. Various breathing patterns were generated using a linear actuator and an air cylinder. We tested six home nebulizers (jet (2), static (2), and vibrating mesh nebulizers (2)). Nebulizers were evaluated under two conditions, that is, for the duration of nebulization and at a constant output 1.3 mL using four breathing patterns, namely, the breathing pattern specified in ISO 27427:2013, normal adult, asthmatic, and COPD.
Results: One of the vibrating mesh nebulizers had the highest dose delivery efficiency. The drug delivery efficiencies of nebulizers were found to depend on breathing patterns.
Conclusion: We suggest a quantitative drug delivery efficiency evaluation method and calculation parameters that include considerations of constant outputs and residual volumes. The study shows output rates and breathing patterns should be considered when the drug delivery efficiencies of nebulizers are evaluated.
Keywords: Dosage; Drug delivery; Efficiency; Nebulizer; Respiratory simulator.