気道疾患に対する噴霧療法の理論と実際

THE RATIONALITY AND PRACTICE OF INHALATION THERAPY (AEROSOL) IN TREATMENT OF DISEASES OF AIR-PASSAGE

　I．はじめに

　人間は，一日に約3万回（20×60×24）息をする。生体の防禦装置はあるとしても，ばい菌や粉じん，刺激性ガスを吸入する機会は多い。原因のいかんにかかわらず，これらは気道粘膜を刺激して炎症を生じ，気管支れん縮，気管支狭窄，分泌物貯留などをおこして換気の抵抗を増大する。最近は大気汚染の呼吸器にたいする影響が重大問題となつているが，逆に吸入気の中に生体に好影響をもたらす物質を入れれば，気道の疾患を治療し予防することができる。これが吸入療法で，経口投与，経血管投与につづく第三の薬剤投与法といえよう。

　It is estimated that a man breathes approximately 30,000 (20×60×24) times during the period of 24 hours. Consequently, his chances of inhaling obnoxious material such as bacteriae, dusts and other irritating gases are large, though he is provided with some means of protection Regardless of the type of the irritating element the mucous membrane responds with inflammatory changes that may result in atrophy, constrictions and production of excessive discharges that will hinder the free passage of adequate amount of air. The attempt by which various drugs are introduced into the air-passage by means of aerosol is known as the socalled inhalation treatment In other words the air-passage is treated by using the air-passage an effective means which may be easily adopted by any clinician.