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EP-3701988-B1 - COMPLIANCE-ASSISTING MODULE FOR AN INHALER

EP3701988B1EP 3701988 B1EP3701988 B1EP 3701988B1EP-3701988-B1

Inventors

  • CALDERON OLIVERAS, ENRIQUE
  • BUCK, DANIEL
  • FLEMING, Frederic Scott
  • WEITZEL, DOUGLAS E.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20150828

Claims (12)

  1. An inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) comprising: a mouthpiece cover (180, 380, 780), wherein opening of the mouthpiece cover readies a dose of medication for inhalation or wherein the inhaler comprises a button pressable to ready the dose of medication; and an indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) whose illumination indicates a dose ready state of the inhaler when said dose of medication is ready, wherein the dose ready state is indicated when the inhaler is in a particular orientation when the mouthpiece cover is opened or the button is pressed.
  2. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, comprising a processor (457) configured to control the indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) to be in the dose ready state when the mouthpiece cover (180, 380, 780) is in an open position to indicate that the dose of medication is ready for inhalation.
  3. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, comprising the button pressable to ready the dose of medication.
  4. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of any preceding claim, comprising a processor (457) configured to control the indicator to indicate inhalation.
  5. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of any preceding claim, wherein the inhaler is further configured to produce a click sound to indicate that the dose of medication is ready for inhalation.
  6. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, wherein the particular orientation is an upright orientation.
  7. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, further comprising: a dosing cup (375); and a medication reservoir (378), the dose of medication being delivered into the dosing cup when the mouthpiece cover (180, 380, 780) is moved from a closed position to an open position.
  8. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, comprising a processor (457) configured to control the indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) to illuminate to indicate that it is time for a user to take the dose of medication.
  9. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor (410, 610), wherein a processor (457) is configured to control the indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) based on an output of the pressure sensor indicating inhalation.
  10. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 9, wherein the processor (457) is configured to control the indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) based on the output of the pressure sensor (410, 610) indicating inhalation when the output received from the pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold.
  11. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 10, wherein the predetermined threshold is indicative of a successful inhalation from the inhaler by a user.
  12. The inhaler (100, 300, 400, 700) of claim 1, comprising a processor (457) configured to control the indicator (152, 452, 552, 752) based on a number of actuations of the mouthpiece cover (180, 380, 780) from a closed position to an open position to indicate that no additional doses of medication remain in the inhaler.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/043,120, filed August 28, 2014. BACKGROUND Inhalers or puffers may be used for delivering medication into the body via the lungs. They can be used, for example, in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Types of inhalers may include metered dose inhalers (MDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and nebulizers. A common problem faced in respiratory drug delivery is how to monitor patient adherence and compliance. Adherence deals with the patient following the prescription label, for example taking the prescribed number of doses per day. For example, if the prescription calls for two doses each day, and the patient is taking two doses a day, they are considered 100% adherent. If the patient is only taking one dose a day, they are only 50% adherent. In the latter case, the patient is not getting the treatment prescribed by their doctor. Compliance, on the other hand, relates to how the patient uses their drug delivery device. If used in the manner recommended for effective treatment, they are 100% compliant. If not used properly however, they are less than 100% compliant. Use of a breath-actuated inhaler (e.g., a dry powder inhaler (DPI)) involves inhaling in a particular way; for example the inhalation may need to be long enough and hard enough to entrain a full dose of medicament. For some patients, for example children and the elderly, meeting the requirements for full compliance may be difficult. Failing to achieve 100% compliance can reduce the effectiveness of the prescribed medicament. It is difficult for a patient to determine whether he or she inhaled the prescribed dose of medication and thus to verify compliance with the prescription. Especially for DPIs, a patient may not immediately notice that medication is being inhaled (e.g., because the particles are so small they may not be felt or tasted). A patient may learn of inhalation after seeing the medical effects and still may not know whether the amount of inhaled medication complies with the prescription. US 2008/178872 A1 discloses a dose selective breath actuated inhaler including a meterless canister storing a pressurized medicament. US 2004/050385 A1 discloses an inhaler for delivery of a dry powder medicament. The disclosed inhaler comprises a breath sensor for sensing the breath of a patient. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is defined by independent claim 1 of the appended set of claims. The present disclosure generally relates to assisting patient compliance with medicament administration via an inhaler. For example, the disclosure may relate to the use of indicators to indicate when the inhaler is ready for releasing a dose and when the patient has inhaled sufficient to receive the recommended dose. An inhaler may include a mouthpiece cover, a pressure sensor, a first indicator, and a second indicator. The first indicator may be a first light and the second indicator may be a second light. The first indicator may be a first state of a light and the second indicator may be a second state of the light. The first indicator may be configured to indicate based on a state of the mouthpiece cover. For example, the first indicator may be configured to illuminate based on an open state of the mouthpiece cover, where for example, medication may be ready for inhalation based on the open state of the mouthpiece cover. For example, medication may be transferred from a reservoir to a dosing cup based on the open state of the mouthpiece cover. The second indicator may be configured to indicate based on an output of the pressure sensor. For example, the second indicator may be configured to illuminate based on a pressure measurement in the mouthpiece or elsewhere in the inhaler exceeding a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold may be associated with administration of medication. An inhaler may include a mouthpiece cover, a pressure sensor, and/or a light. The light may be configured to provide a first indication based on a state of the mouthpiece cover and a second indication based on an output of the pressure sensor. The first indication and the second indication may be different colors of the light. At least one of the first indication and the second indication may be a provided by flashing the light. The inhaler may include a dosing cup. A dose of medication may be released to the dosing cup based on a movement of the mouthpiece cover. An inhaler may include a mouthpiece cover, a first light, and a second light. The first and second lights may be configured to indicate that the inhaler is ready for inhalation based on a state of the mouthpiece cover and to indicate inhalation. The first light may be configured to indicate that the inhaler is ready for inhalation based on the mouthpiece cover reaching an open state. The inhaler may include a dosing cup. A dose of medication may be released