Table 2– Devices currently available for delivery of commonly prescribed brand-name drugs by pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDI), breath actuated (BA)-pMDIs, nebulisers, soft mist inhalers and dry powder inhalers (DPI)

Drug class	Drug/device (brand name)^#	Dose available		Comments^¶
Drug class	Drug/device (brand name)^#	Nominal	Emitted
pMDIs⁺
Anticholinergics	Ipratropium bromide (Atrovent®)	21 μg
β₂-adrenergic agonists	Formoterol (Atimos® or Foradil®)	12 μg		Atimos® emits extra-fine particles. Discard Atimos® 12 weeks after dispensing.
	Salbutamol	100 μg		Airomir®, Proventil® and ProAir® contain a small amount of alcohol. In some countries, Ventolin® has a dose counter. In some countries, some generic versions are formulated with CFC products.
	Salmeterol (Serevent®)	25 μg
	Levalbuterol (r-salbutamol) (Xopenex®)	45 μg		Contains a small amount of alcohol.
Corticosteroids	Beclomethasone (QVAR®)	50 and 100 μg		QVAR® aerosol inhaler and Alvesco® inhaler emit extra-fine particles.
	Ciclesonide (Alvesco®)		40, 80 and 160 μg	Due to greater lung deposition, the prescribed dose of QVAR® is half that of the traditional beclomethasone dose. Licensed with the Aerochamber®, in some countries.
	Beclomethasone (Clenil®)	50, 100, 200 and 250 μg		Formulated with HFA propellants but has particle size characteristics that are similar to CFC-beclomethasone. Licensed with the Aerochamber®, or the Volumatic®, in some countries.
	Beclomethasone (Beclazone®)	50, 100 and 250 μg		Formulated with CFC propellant, but will be discontinued in the near future.
	Budesonide (Pulmicort®)	50 μg		Currently formulated with CFC propellants.
	Fluticasone (Flixotide®, Flovent®)	50, 125 and 250 μg
	Flunisolide HFA (Aerospan®)	80 μg
Combinations	Beclomethasone/formoterol (Foster®). In some countries, this product is known as Fostair®, Fostex® or Innovair®.	100/6 μg		Beclomethasone and formoterol in this combination product are formulated as extra-fine particles.
	Budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®)		80/4.5 μg, 160/4.5 μg	Should be discarded 12 weeks after dispensing. Has a dose counter.
	Fluticasone/salmeterol (Seretide®)	50/25, 125/25 and 250/25 μg		Has a dose counter. Licensed with the Volumatic®, or Aerochamber®, in some countries.
	Ipratropium bromide/salbutamol (Combivent®)	18/100 μg		Formulated with CFC propellant, but will be discontinued in the near future.
Cromones	Nedocromil sodium (Tilade®)	2 mg		Has been discontinued in many countries.
	Sodium cromoglycate (Intal®)	1 mg and5 mg		Formulated with CFC propellant, but will be discontinued in the near future.
BA-pMDIs⁺
β₂-adrenergic agonists	Salbutamol	100 μg		Easi-Breathe® Inhaler and Airomir® Autohaler.
	Pirbuterol	200 μg		Maxair® Autohaler; discontinued after December 31, 2010.
Corticosteroids	Beclomethasone (QVAR®)	50 and 100 μg		QVAR® Autohaler® and QVAR® Easi-Breathe® Inhaler. Beclomethasone formulated as extra-fine particles.
Nebulisers
β₂-adrenergic agonists	Formoterol fumarate inhalation solution (Perforomist®)	20 μg/2 mL
	Salbutamol inhalation solution	0.083%		Vials do not require dilution.
		Vials with 1, 2 and 5 mg·mL⁻¹		Add saline until 4-mL total for jet nebuliser.
	Arformoterol tartrate (r-formoterol) inhalation solution	15 μg
	Levalbuterol (r-salbutamol) inhalation solution	0.31 mg/3 mL, 0.63 mg/3 mL and 1.25 mg/3 mL		Store in foil pouch. Once pouch is opened, use vials within 2 weeks.
	Metaproterenol sulfate (Alupent®)	0.5, 0.6 and 5%
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories	Cromolyn sodium	20 mg		Can be mixed with salbutamol inhalation solution in nebuliser.
Antibiotics	Tobramycin inhalation solution	300 mg/5 mL (TOBI®)		Licensed for use with PARI LC® Plus nebuliser and Devilbiss® Pulmo-Aide® compressor.
		300 mg/4 mL (Bramitob®)		Licensed for use with PARI LC® Plus and PARI TURBO Boy® compressor.
	Colistin inhalation solution (Promixin®)	Vial with powder: 1 million units (80 mg) with water and saline for solution (3 mL)		Licensed for use with jet nebuliser (PARI LC® Plus or similar nebuliser) with appropriate compressor. Licensed for use with the I-neb® adaptive aerosol delivery system, in some countries.
	Aztreonam inhalation solution (Cayston®)	75 mg/2 mL		Licensed for use with the eFlow®, in some countries.
Corticosteroids	Budesonide inhalation suspension	0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg (Pulmicort Respules®)		Licensed for use with jet-nebulisers.
		0.25 and 0.5 mg (generic)		Not for use with ultrasonic nebuliser.
	Fluticasone inhalation suspension	0.50 mg/2 mL; 2 mg/2 mL (Flixotide®)
Mucolytics	Recombinant human DNase (Pulmozyme®)	2.5 mg/2.5 mL		Licensed for use with many nebulisers (see text for details). Should not be used with ultrasonic nebulisers. Fluid should not be diluted or mixed with other drugs.
	Hypertonic saline inhalation solution			Studied with jet nebulisers and breath-enhanced nebulisers with appropriate compressors.
	Hyper-Sal™	3.5%/4 mL and 7%/4 mL
	MucoClear®	6%/4 mL
	Hyaneb™	7%/5 mL		Also contains sodium hyaluronate 0.1%.
Prostacyclin	Iloprost (Ventavis®)	2.5 μg per ampule and 5 μg per ampule		Licensed for use with I-neb® adaptive aerosol delivery system.
Anticholinergics	Ipratropium bromide (Atrovent®)	500/vial		Can be combined with salbutamol, or metaproterenol, solutions.
Anti-infective	Pentamidine (NebuPent®)	0.02%, 300 mg		Licensed with Respigard II nebuliser.

Soft mist inhalers
Anticholinergics	Tiotropium bromide	2.5 μg		Respimat®
Combinations	Fenoterol/ipratropium bromide	50/20 μg		Respimat®
DPIs
Aerolizer®	Budesonide	200 μg		Capsule, low resistance.
	Formoterol	12 μg
Diskhaler®	Beclomethasone	100, 200 and 400 μg		Capsule (8 or 4), low resistance.
	Fluticasone	100, 250 and 500 μg
	Salmeterol	50 μg
	Zanamivir (antiviral)	5 mg
Diskus (Accuhaler® in the UK)	Fluticasone	50, 100, 250 and 500 μg		Individual doses in a blister inside the device, medium resistance.
	Salbutamol	200 μg
	Salmeterol	50 μg
	Fluticasone/salmeterol	100/50, 250/50 and 500/50 μg
Clickhaler®	Beclomethasone	50, 100 and 250 μg		Multi-dose reservoir, medium/high resistance.
	Budesonide	100, 200 and 400 μg
	Formoterol	12 μg
	Salbutamol	114 μg
Cyclohaler®	Beclomethasone	100, 200 and 400 μg		Capsule, low resistance.
	Budesonide	200 and 400 μg
	Salbutamol	200 μg
Easyhaler®	Beclomethasone	100, 200 and 400 μg		Multi-dose reservoir, high resistance.
	Budesonide	100, 200 and 400 μg
	Formoterol	12 μg
	Salbutamol	100 and 200 μg
Handihaler®	Tiotropium	18 μg		Capsule, high resistance.
Maghaler®	Budesonide	200 μg		Multi-dose reservoir.
Novolizer®	Budesonide	200 μg		Multi-dose reservoir, medium resistance.
	Formoterol	12 μg
	Salbutamol	100 μg
Pulvinal®	Beclomethasone	100, 200 and 400 μg		Multi-dose reservoir, medium/high resistance.
	Salbutamol	200 μg
Spinhaler®	Sodium cromoglycate	20 mg		Capsule, low resistance.
Spiromax®	Budesonide	100, 200 and 400 μg		Multi-dose reservoir, medium/high resistance.
Turbuhaler®	Budesonide	100, 200 and 400 μg; 90 and 180 μg (in USA)		Multi-dose reservoir, medium/high resistance.
	Formoterol	6 and 12 μg
	Terbutaline	500 μg
	Budesonide/formoterol	100/6, 200/6 and 400/12 μg
Twisthaler®	Mometasone	200 and 400 μg; 220 and 110 μg (in US.)		Multi-dose reservoir, high resistance.

^#: not all drugs/devices are available in all countries. ^¶: for all drugs, patients should be monitored for side-effects. ⁺: pMDIs and BA-MDIs formulated with hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant unless otherwise stated in the comments column. The dose of reformulated product is the same as the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) version unless specified. See Appendix for all product/drug manufacturer details.