University of Alberta, Department of Mechanical Engineering , Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G8 , Canada
Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2015 Jun;12(6):889-900. doi: 10.1517/17425247.2015.995087. Epub 2014 Dec 23.
Nebulizers are the oldest modern method of delivering aerosols to the lungs for the purpose of respiratory drug delivery. While use of nebulizers remains widespread in the hospital and home setting, certain newer nebulization technologies have enabled more portable use. Varied fundamental processes of droplet formation and breakup are used in modern nebulizers, and these processes impact device performance and suitability for nebulization of various formulations.
This review first describes basic aspects of nebulization technologies, including jet nebulizers, various high-frequency vibration techniques, and the use of colliding liquid jets. Nebulizer use in hospital and home settings is discussed next. Complications in aerosol droplet size measurement owing to the changes in nebulized droplet diameters due to evaporation or condensation are discussed, as is nebulization during mechanical ventilation.
While the limelight may often appear to be focused on other delivery devices, such as pressurized metered dose and dry powder inhalers, the ease of formulating many drugs in water and delivering them as aqueous aerosols ensures that nebulizers will remain as a viable and relevant method of respiratory drug delivery. This is particularly true given recent improvements in nebulizer droplet production technology.
雾化器是将气溶胶输送到肺部以进行呼吸药物输送的最古老的现代方法。虽然雾化器在医院和家庭环境中的使用仍然很广泛，但某些较新的雾化技术使设备更便于携带。现代雾化器使用了各种不同的液滴形成和破裂的基本过程，这些过程会影响设备的性能和适用于各种制剂的雾化能力。
这篇综述首先描述了雾化技术的基本方面，包括射流雾化器、各种高频振动技术以及碰撞液流技术的应用。接下来讨论了雾化器在医院和家庭环境中的使用。还讨论了由于雾化液滴直径因蒸发或凝结而发生变化导致气溶胶液滴大小测量方面的并发症，以及在机械通气期间的雾化问题。
虽然加压计量吸入器和干粉吸入器等其他输送装置可能经常成为关注焦点，但许多药物很容易在水中配制并作为水基气溶胶输送，这确保了雾化器将仍然是一种可行且相关的呼吸药物输送方法。鉴于最近在雾化器液滴产生技术方面的改进，这一点尤其正确。
