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Digital-Enabled Inhaler: Annotated Bibliography
Name
Affiliation
Course Unit: Course Name
Instructor
Date
, 2
Digital-Enabled Inhaler: Annotated Bibliography
Despite advances in inhalation therapy, diagnosis and classification of asthma, the
disorder remains a significant healthcare problem. The persistent burden of asthma can be
attributed to poor control, which is an important risk factor for asthma exacerbations. Around
60% of patients in the US and Europe have uncontrolled asthma (Kaplan et al., 2023). Digital
inhalers have emerged as potential solution to problems related to medication adherence among
patients with asthma and other obstructive lung diseases. Such inhalers may be of value in
managing poor medication adherence as they can capture objective inhaler used data and provide
insight into medication adherence to both practitioners and patients (Hei et al., 2025). The
current paper aims to discuss the rationale for selecting the topic, methodology used to identify
relevant articles, and annotation of selected articles that provide evidence on the impact of digital
inhalers. The paper will also discuss how digital inhalers can be complemented with artificial
intelligence to further boost effectiveness of nursing care.
Overview and Rationale for Selecting the Technology
Digital inhalers rely on sensors attached to inhalers to capture objective data on patient
use of the inhaler. These sensors attached to inhalers electronically record use of inhalers and
transmit the information either to a practitioner, clinical team or the patients. As such, they allow
for objective measures of inhaler use, and adherence to clinical recommendations (Garin et al.,
2023). Clinical teams can use those objective measures to track adherence or intervene in case of
an emergency. The technology was selected for it address two related nursing outcomes, inability
to track inhaler technique or usage, and poor medication adherence among patients with
obstructive lung disease (Hei et al., 2025). Unlike traditional inhalers, digital inhalers offer real-
time, and objective data that can be leveraged to inform interventions to reduce exacerbations,
Digital-Enabled Inhaler: Annotated Bibliography
Name
Affiliation
Course Unit: Course Name
Instructor
Date
, 2
Digital-Enabled Inhaler: Annotated Bibliography
Despite advances in inhalation therapy, diagnosis and classification of asthma, the
disorder remains a significant healthcare problem. The persistent burden of asthma can be
attributed to poor control, which is an important risk factor for asthma exacerbations. Around
60% of patients in the US and Europe have uncontrolled asthma (Kaplan et al., 2023). Digital
inhalers have emerged as potential solution to problems related to medication adherence among
patients with asthma and other obstructive lung diseases. Such inhalers may be of value in
managing poor medication adherence as they can capture objective inhaler used data and provide
insight into medication adherence to both practitioners and patients (Hei et al., 2025). The
current paper aims to discuss the rationale for selecting the topic, methodology used to identify
relevant articles, and annotation of selected articles that provide evidence on the impact of digital
inhalers. The paper will also discuss how digital inhalers can be complemented with artificial
intelligence to further boost effectiveness of nursing care.
Overview and Rationale for Selecting the Technology
Digital inhalers rely on sensors attached to inhalers to capture objective data on patient
use of the inhaler. These sensors attached to inhalers electronically record use of inhalers and
transmit the information either to a practitioner, clinical team or the patients. As such, they allow
for objective measures of inhaler use, and adherence to clinical recommendations (Garin et al.,
2023). Clinical teams can use those objective measures to track adherence or intervene in case of
an emergency. The technology was selected for it address two related nursing outcomes, inability
to track inhaler technique or usage, and poor medication adherence among patients with
obstructive lung disease (Hei et al., 2025). Unlike traditional inhalers, digital inhalers offer real-
time, and objective data that can be leveraged to inform interventions to reduce exacerbations,
