Principles of aerosol therapy.

Aerosol therapy with a variety of drugs is superior to oral and, except perhaps in status asthmaticus, parenteral therapy. An understanding of aerosol physics and the physiologic characteristics relating to ventilation allows optimum aerosol delivery for maximum benefit in the majority of patients. In those patients who are unable to use metered-dose inhalers effectively, simple inhalation devices have been developed which assure breath-actuated aerosol delivery to the lower respiratory tract with minimal side effects.