Stupid medication question

[jill48, ASN, RN]

This is going to sound like a really stupid question because I have been a nurse for 11 years. I keep seeing this asthma medication; it comes in a purple disc. I can't remember the name of it. Anyway, I've never had to administer it, so I can't tell just by looking at it if its something you inhale or if a little pill pops out or what. Does anyone know which med i'm talking about?

[Reigen]

[quoteI keep seeing this asthma medication; it comes in a purple disc. I can't remember the name of it.

I am thinking you mean the advair diskus. That is inhaled and is a multi dose inhaler. I use one twice a day

Reigen

[LoriAlabamaRN]

It is Advair, and you pull the little lever down (sorta works like those old viewfinder levers) and have the patient put their lips around the mouthpiece and inhale the measured dose of powder that the lever releases. Hope this helps!

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

There are 50 doses per Advair discus I believe. A number reading is near the mouthpiece to let you know when it is getting low.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

When I first encountered these little contraptions (Spiriva/Advair), I wondered how to use them too. I didn't want to waste any medicine. It was a home med so I actually let the patient teach me.

[MiRnSoon]

"There are 50 doses per Advair discus I believe. A number reading is near the mouthpiece to let you know when it is getting low"

It's 28 doses per inhaler and available in at least three different strengths. Which I cannot remember off the top of my head right now.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

My son and mother both use Advair and the biggest problem I had teaching them useage was to inhale as they pushed the lever. They tend to push and release then inhale. If not done properly they will not recieve the entire doseage. Seems to take a little more coordination then the standard inhalers such as proventil.

[oldiebutgoodie, RN]

Here is a good link to information on the use of the Advair discus:

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-20538-Advair+Diskus+Inhl.aspx?drugid=20538&drugname=Advair+Diskus+Inhl

Oldiebutgoodie

[Jen911]

My son and mother both use Advair and the biggest problem I had teaching them useage was to inhale as they pushed the lever. They tend to push and release then inhale. If not done properly they will not recieve the entire doseage. Seems to take a little more coordination then the standard inhalers such as proventil.

Actually, you don't need to push the lever at the same time as you inhale. Pushing the lever simply turns the "wheel of medication" to the new dose for you to inhale. There is no "puff" as we're used to with albuterol, or the other short-acting inhalers. Advair is simply a powder that releases as a person inhales through the diskus. Here's the link specifically from the Advair website:

http://www.advair.com/copd/inhaler_instructions.html

[jill48, ASN, RN]

That just sounds weird to me that they inhale a puff of powder, seems like they would choke on it. Thank you all for the information. I really felt like an idiot. :sofahider

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

This is correct....Just push the lever and it chambers a pre-measured dose then you inhale the powered med. It does contain 50 doses and counts down as you use them.

Actually, you don't need to push the lever at the same time as you inhale. Pushing the lever simply turns the "wheel of medication" to the new dose for you to inhale. There is no "puff" as we're used to with albuterol, or the other short-acting inhalers. Advair is simply a powder that releases as a person inhales through the diskus. Here's the link specifically from the Advair website:

http://www.advair.com/copd/inhaler_instructions.html

[mtngrl, ASN, RN]

Yeah that sounds like Advair. When I was a nursing student I did the dumbest thing.....my patient had that and I didn't realize you used it more than once...so I threw it away after he used it. Didn't realize it until many days later...no one ever bothered asking where it went I guess.