With the global incidence of asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) on the rise, its never been more important to have simple, cost-effective treatments to make a positive difference in people’s lives. The K-haler by Paul Scrase is suitable for use with a wide range of inhaled respiratory medications and extends effective inhaler use to wider patient populations. Combining a breakthrough valve with a thoughtful and inclusive design, it addresses many of the issues that have persisted since the invention of the first pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) in 1956.
Studies show that people often don’t use their inhaler properly, without even realising. It’s difficult for people to coordinate pushing down on the inhaler canister and breathing deeply at just the right time. This means people often do not receive the full dose they need. The K-haler is breath-activated, meaning it eliminates the need for patients to coordinate their breathing, along with addressing several other issues: Breakthrough technology is more than just a clever valve: the K-haler’s big idea revolves around the K-valve. The patented valve is a kinked tube that works on a garden hose principle. When a patient breathes in normally, the kink straightens, releasing a single dose right down into the lungs. It’s this valve that removes the need for co-ordination during inhalation.
Works with lower forces: the idea of breath-actuated inhalers isn’t new; many asthma medications are now delivered in passive dry power inhalers (DPI). These require a higher force and speed of inhalation for optimal drug delivery, which can be a challenge at times for many patients with breathing problems. Read all about K-Haler here.
Designer: Paul Scrase for Spark Awards
