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ProAir Digihaler: Leveraging Sensors to Monitor your Inhalation Airflow
Why ProAir Digihaler Exists
Getting to the bottom of why you need to use an inhaler more often in certain situations or environments requires data. However, tracking your inhaler usage on your own is a tricky task, especially if you’re in distress while taking your treatment. Smart inhalers make it possible to get a complete view of your inhaler usage so you can avoid potential triggers, improve how you use your treatments, and find the right treatment for your ongoing needs.
The ProAir Digihaler is a dry powder inhaler designed with built-in sensors that track how you use your medication and what your airflow is when you need treatment. Whenever you take the cap off of this device or you inhale the medication, the sensors mark that data and send it to a smartphone application.
If the inhaler is out of range of your smartphone or isn’t connected to one at all, it functions as a normal inhaler.
Who ProAir Digihaler Is Meant For
The ProAir Digihaler product line is designed for asthma treatment in patients 12 years old and up. The Airduo Digihaler medication is fluticasone propionate and salmeterol, while the Armonair Digihaler is fluticasone propionate.
Benefits of ProAir Digihaler
The benefits of the ProAir Digihaler include:
- Track information from your inhaler: The biggest selling point of the ProAir Digihaler is its smart capabilities. You’re able to get comprehensive data about everything from your inhalation airflow to how often you use it.
- Understand your inhaler usage:You can use this data to see when you’re more and less likely to use an inhaler, whether you’re using it correctly, if you use it more often in certain environments, and other eye-opening data.
- Bluetooth connectivity: The ProAir Digihaler easily connects to the smartphone companion app via a Bluetooth connection. It supports both iOS and Android devices.
- Share inhaler usage reports with your care team: Your medical team can see exactly how you’re using your inhaler, which equips them with the data needed to fine-tune your treatment plan. You don’t have to worry about writing down when you need to use this inhaler, so you have a convenient and comprehensive record.
- Recommendations on inhaler usage:The application can make recommendations on how to better use your inhaler so that you’re getting the most benefit from this treatment.
- Prescription reminders: Get inhaler refill reminders directly through the ProAir Digihaler application so you don’t go without your important medication.
- Weather, air quality, and allergy forecasts:All three of these factors can drastically change how much you need to use your ProAir Digihaler. By putting this information into the application, you can better plan your daily activities around the current conditions.
- Stores data until your smartphone is within range:If you need to use your inhaler and you’re outside of the 15-foot connectivity range for the sensors, your data gets stored until the next time your phone is within range. At that point, it syncs with the application and sends information over.
- Daily self-assessment: You can choose one of three options about how you’re feeling every day and then track information for long-term trends.
- For inhaler use data, the device sensors use the following criteria:Good inhalation shows that your airflow is more than 45 liters per minute, fair is a range between 30-45 liters per minute, and low is either under 30 liters per minute, or the sensors fail to detect any inhalation. The sensors also track your exhalations and determine if you’re blocking the air vent when you use the inhaler.
Drawbacks Of ProAir Digihaler
The drawbacks of the ProAir Digihaler include:
- Requires a smartphone application to get the full benefit of this technology:If you don’t use a smartphone, then you won’t be able to use the application and pull the data off of the inhaler sensors.
- Some patients may prefer to have a regular inhaler rather than a smart inhaler: You may prefer to have a regular inhaler and skip connecting another Bluetooth device to your smartphone.
- Connectivity issues: The device and application may have connectivity issues that get in the way of data syncing.
ProAir Digihaler Pricing
The ProAir Digihaler cost varies based on your health insurance coverage. The device manufacturer offers a savings program for eligible patients that can lower the cost to $20 per prescription. Currently, ProAir Digihaler does not offer a savings plan for any patient covered by government insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Alternatives to ProAir Digihaler
Adherium is a smart inhaler manufacturer that focuses on the remote monitoring capabilities of this technology. The company’s Hailie sensors can be connected to a wide range of inhaler types available, as opposed to ProAir Digihaler’s complete medication and sensor solution. The Hailie sensors send data to a companion app and a cloud-based remote monitoring platform to help improve patient adherence to their treatment plan and provide data directly to their care team.
Propeller is another smart inhaler solution that connects sensors to the treatment patients are already using. Doctors receive this information in real-time and can proactively make changes to the treatment based on this real-world information. The application also provides recommendations and insights for patients directly.
CareTRX takes a slightly different approach from Adherium and Propeller by putting its technology in a smart cap that sits on top of the inhaler rather than in the casing itself. It supports remote monitoring, provides patients with extensive information on their inhaler usage, and helps the care team collaborate better with the patients in their care.
ProAir Digihaler is one of the few options on the smart inhaler market that includes both the medication and the smart sensors in an all-in-one package. The convenience of only needing to work with one prescription, along with the ability to access a user-friendly app filled with inhaler insights, positions this smart device as a strong contender.