11:30 a.m.

Nebulizer FAQ's

How does a nebulizer work? A nebulizer is basically a small air-compressor that converts medication into an air mist that you can breathe in through a mouth piece or mask. You can either get a table-top nebulizer that plugs into an outlet, or a portable nebulizer that is easier to move around and can either plug in to an outlet or can run on batteries. Prescribed, premeasured doses of medication are placed into the nebulizer, you turn it on, and the nebulizer vaporizes the medication so that it is carried into your mouth (and nose, if using a mask) as a fine mist, like a fog. The medicine then proceeds into your lungs to do its job. (Source)

What does Albuterol do? Albuterol is used to prevent and treat wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest tightness caused by lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; a group of diseases that affect the lungs and airways). Albuterol is in a class of medications called bronchodilators. It works by relaxing and opening the air passages to the lungs to make breathing easier. (Source)

How many people have asthma? In the United States, the number of people with asthma continues to grow. One in 12 people (about 25 million, or 8% of the U.S. population) had asthma in 2009, compared with 1 in 14 (about 20 million, or 7%) in 2001. (Source)

What about the medical expenses? Greater access to medical care is needed for the growing number of people with asthma. Asthma cost the US about $3,300 per person with asthma each year from 2002 to 2007 in medical expenses. Medical expenses associated with asthma increased from $48.6 billion in 2002 to $50.1 billion in 2007. About 2 in 5 (40%) uninsured people with asthma could not afford their prescription medicines and about 1 in 9 (11%) insured people with asthma could not afford their prescription medicines. Asthma was linked to 3,447 deaths (about 9 per day) in 2007. Asthma costs in the US grew from about $53 billion in 2002 to about $56 billion in 2007, about a 6% increase. (Source: CDC)

With these frightening statistics in the US alone, it goes without saying that we need to do our part to help. Thank you so much to everyone for your continued support to change these statistics around the world!