Pulmonary drug delivery Flashcards
In addition to pulmonary delivery, aerosols have been used as what types of topical dosage forms?
sublingual, dermal, rectal, vaginal
Define aerosols
Products that depend on the power of a compressed or liquefied gas to expel the contents from the container
What product forms can be delivered by aerosols?
Preparations like suspensions, emulsions, creams, powders
Can also be dispensed as a fine or wet spray, a foam, a semisolid, or dry particles
Define Pharmaceutical aerosols
Aerosol products containing pharmacologically active ingredients dissolved, suspended, or emulsified in a propellant or a mixture of solvent and propellant, and intended for administration orally as fine solid particles or liquid mists through the pulmonary airways, or for admin. into one of the body cavities (nose, rectum, vagina) or for topical admin to the skin.
MDIs
Metered dose inhaler; the general aerosol for oral inhalation
t/f: aerosols are mainly for pulmonary drug delivery
False; mostly topical. Not many for inhalation
Active ingredients in aerosols take 3 main forms
Spray, dry powder, foa
List 2 types of propellants
liquefied gas, compressed gas
List advantages to pharmaceutical aerosols (inhaled) compared to other dose forms
- Good alternative to parenterals when aerosol given by inhalation
- noninvasive and hence accepted by patients
- fast onset of action
- Direct systemic absorption (avoids 1st pass)
- low dose
- minimal side effects
- accurate doses (due to use of metered valves)
- good stability
- minimal potential for contamination
- tamper-proof
Why is pulmonary a good alternative route when a drug exibits erratic PK with oral or parenteral admin?
- avoids drug degradation in the GI tract
- avoids first-pass metabolism
- direct systemic absorption
- fast onset of action
The minimal side effects of pulmonary drugs are largely due to the low dose administered: T/F
often is true.
Why are we not worried about contamination of aerosols?
No danger of envr contamination due to complete closure of the containers (tamper-proof). No moisture, bacteria, air and foreign particles can enter the container as long as adequate pressure is maintained within the container.
What’s a main advantage of topical aerosols?
Topical aerosols, sprays, foams can reduce drug irritation an expand drug contact to the application sites.
Why are aerosols considered more efficient?
No waste or need for using other applicators
What are some disadvantages to aerosols?
- local actions
- admin techniques
- patient compliance
- limited applications
- special drug properties
- unique production leading to high unit cost
- explosive and flammable
- environmental hazards
Is pulmonary drug delivery considered to be a mainstream route of admin? Why or why not?
No. Special storage conditions have to be met bcause aerosols are under pressure. Therefore, not every drug compound can be formulation into an aerosol preparation.
List 5 basic drug characteristic required for aerosol development
1) No or low irritation to drug absorption site
2) Reasonable solubility in respiratory fluids
3) Be therapeutically effective at a low dose
4) Physical/chemical compatibility (btw drug and propellant) and exhibit passive drug transport through resp. membranes
5) pH range: 5.5-7.5
List the various divisions of the lungs (airways)
Bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, respiratory bronchioles, and alveolar ducts in between
The deeper the airway passages go, the larger the diameters and the smaller the surface areas are: T/F
False! The deeper the passageways go, the smaller the diameters (alveolar diameters are small) and the larger the surface areas are (alveolar diameters are smaller, but there’s so many of them that the area is large)
Describe the epithelium of the airways
A continuous sheet of cells lining the lumenal surface of the airways, which separates the internal envr of the body from the external envr.
T/F: under normal physiological conditions, it is harder for larger molecules to pass through the airways epithelium
True! If the epithelium is damaged, however, then enhanced penetration of substances will exist in the airways
Describe the rate of absorption in the airway passagges
Drug absorption mechanisms in central airways and alveolus are different. The rate of absorption from the alveolus is approx 2X faster than in the central airways; suggesting greater membrane permeability in alveoli than in the tracheobronchial region
What are common medical conditions that may made use of inhaled aerosols?
- asthma
- allergies
- inflammation
- COPD
What are common drug types that are administered to the lungs?
- Corticosteroids
- bronchodilators (ex: LABAs)
- Non-steroid anti-inflammatory compounds
=> POTENTIAL formulations of proteins and peptides
Divide the CV system into two components and describe
Components: pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation
- Pulm: carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs and returns O2 blood from the lungs to the left atrium.
- Systemic: carrie O2 blood from the left ventricle to body tissues and returns deO2 from the body to the right atrium.
What are 5 things that may occur to a drug once it reaches the alveoli?
A drug may:
1) be diluted/diffused laterally in surfactant
2) be taken up by alveolar macrophages
3) diffuse throuogh the interstitium and be removed by lymphatic capillaries
4) be biotransformed by enzymes
5) reach systemic circulation
What are 5 things that may occur to a drug once it reaches the central airways?
A drug may:
1) interact with the mucus layer
2) be removed by the mucociliary escalator
3) have limited access through the epithelium, interact with epithelium components
4) be removed by diffusion into submucosal blood vessels
5) reach smooth muscle cells
What is the healthcare cost associated with lung diseases/disorders?
12.2 billion (1993)
What is one of the most important factors that can influence drug absorption and bioavailability in the lungs?
Drug deposition in the airways
Associate particle sizes to drug deposition sites
- Oropharynx: >10um
- Central airways (tracheobronchial): >5um
- peripheral airways (alveolus): <3um
In practice, what % of an inhaled dose ends up in the GI tract?
85-95%
What is one way to ensure the drug goes to the lungs rather than Gi once inhaled?
Selection of an appropriate aerosol with a uniform small particle size may permit drug deposition to the central or peripheral airways, benefiting drug target for local or systemic actions.
How does rate and depth of breathing affect drug deposition in the airways?
- rapid, shallow breathing promotes central deposition of a drug
- Slow, deep inspiration leads to peripheral (alveolar) airway deposition.
- Furthermore, the rate and volume of ventilation determines the residence time of the drug in the lungs
holding your breath at the end of inspiration of an aerosol facilitates drug disposition through sedimentation and diffusion: T/F
True!
What happens if a drug gets caught in the mucus layer of the central airways?
It will be expelled from the body
Compare bioavailability of a drug given by inhalation and by IV
IV: 100%
Inhaled: ~68%
- some drug is lost in inhalation due to mucus and macrophages, so bioavailability is less
How can we adjust aerosols or inhalation devices to improve drug deposition in the airways?
- Can synchronize drug delivery rate from the device with the person’s breathing (ie drug releases when they inspire)
- Use of a spacer device can slow down aerosol cloud, evaporate volatile components, and improve pulmonary delivery