Respiratory Equipment

💡TL;DR: No — do not leave inhalers in a cold car. Most inhalers are designed for room temperature 59–86°F (15–30°C); at ≤32°F (0°C) the spray can be weak or fail. If it was briefly above freezing, let it warm to room temperature and release

💡TL;DR: Clean pressurized metered‑dose inhalers once a week: remove the metal canister, rinse the plastic mouthpiece under warm water for 30–60 seconds, and air‑dry completely before reassembly. Dry powder inhalers should not be rinsed; wipe the mouthpiece dry and keep the device closed between uses. Soft‑

💡TL;DR: Prime new metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) with 2–4 test sprays and re-prime after about 1–2 weeks of no use or if dropped so the first dose contains medication. Skipping priming can make the first puff mostly propellant with little or no medicine. Dry powder inhalers (Diskus, Ellipta)

💡TL;DR: Yes, you can vest during Pulmozyme to save time, and many CF clinics allow it; optimal: take Pulmozyme first and start airway clearance about 20–30 minutes later. A typical regimen is bronchodilator → hypertonic saline → Pulmozyme → airway clearance, with inhaled antibiotics last. Pulmozyme is usually 2.5 mg

💡TL;DR: Most MDIs keep spraying propellant even when the medicine is gone, so you can’t tell by sight, sound, taste, or shaking. Check a built‑in dose counter (zero means empty) or track your puffs: many rescue inhalers have 200 doses and many controllers have 120. Replace before

💡TL;DR: Yes, a nebulizer can help loosen lung mucus by delivering a fine saline mist that hydrates and thins secretions so you can cough them out. Normal saline is gentle, while hypertonic saline (3%–7%) can help with very thick phlegm but may trigger more coughing. Sessions typically take

💡TL;DR: Most reusable nebulizer masks and tubing should be replaced about every 6 months, while disposable masks last roughly 5–7 uses. Standard home tubing is typically 7 feet and usually fits across brands, but watch for front- vs bottom-loading mask styles. If you can use a mouthpiece well,

💡TL;DR: Clean your spacer weekly with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap, then air-dry completely without wiping to reduce static and germs. A detergent wash can improve medication delivery by up to 50% compared with an unwashed plastic spacer (PubMed). Plan for 5–15 minutes

For best delivery, use one puff at a time, inhale slowly right after pressing, and hold your breath ~10 seconds, waiting 30–60 seconds between puffs. Spacers work with MDIs, not dry powder inhalers; clean and air-dry weekly and rinse and spit after steroid inhalers.