Targeting small airways

One of the greatest benefits of Alvesco^® is its small particle size, which enables it to enter the small airways (<2mm diameter) and reduce inflammation at these important sites.¹ 

Alvesco^® is delivered via a pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) using a hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant, but unlike most other HFA-propelled aerosols, which are formulated in suspension, Alvesco^® is formulated as a solution aerosol. Therefore, the majority of particles are very small and highly respirable – the average droplet size is 1.1 µm (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Small particle size allows better access to the small airways^5-10

As a result, the total lung and small airway distribution of Alvesco^® is high.¹  It offers a  total lung deposition of 52%.¹ Asthma treatment should not stop halfway but address inflammation in large and small airways.¹¹

Alvesco^®, a fine particle inhaled corticosteroid, reaches further. 55% of total lung dose distributes to the small airways where it can act against the underlying inflammation.¹ The is illustrated in the following interactive figure.

References:

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4. Leach CL, Davidson PJ, Hasselquist BE, et al. Lung deposition of hydrofluoroalkane-134a beclomethasone is greater than that of chlorofluorocarbon fluticasone and chlorofluorocarbon beclomethasone: a cross-over study in healthy volunteers. Chest 2002;122:510-6
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8. Leach CL, Davidson PJ, Boudreau RJ. Improved airway targeting with the CFC-free HFA-beclomethasone metered-dose inhaler compared with CFC-beclomethasone. Eur Respir J 1998;12:1346-1353
9. Leach CL, Bethke TD, Boudreau RJ, et al. 2-D and 3-D imaging show ciclesonide has high lung deposition and peripheral distribution: a nonrandomized study in healthy volunteers. J Aerosol Med 2006;19:117-126
10. Virchow JC. [Asthma--a small airway disease: concepts and evidence]. Pneumologie 2009;63 Suppl 2:S96-101
11. Contoli M, Bousquet J, Fabbri LM, et al. The small airways and distal lung compartment in asthma and COPD: a time for reappraisal. Allergy 2010;65:141-151