What is Aerosol Therapy?  [ Return towards  Overview about Aerosol Therapy  ]

Aerosol therapy is a method of treatment in which an atomised drug is inhaled to allow it to deposit in the respiratory tract.

The drug, converted into a sol (a physical state half way between a liquid and a gas), is an air suspension of particles between a few tenths of a micron and one micron in size. A micron is one millionth of a metre and corresponds approximately to one hundredth of the diameter of a hair. In this form, the drug penetrates the respiratory tract, disperses and deposits everywhere, even in the tiniest corners that are hardest to reach, such as the pulmonary alveoli.

The smaller particles deposit in the lower airways , being effective for treatment of lower airways patologies, e.g. asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.

The largest particles deposit in the upper airways, treating other respiratory disorders, such as rhinitis and sinusitis.