FAQs & Links

Below are Frequently Asked Questions concerning MD Turbo, its uses, compatible inhalers, and other related topics.  Also included are useful links for patients and clinicians.

  1. Which inhalers are compatible with MD Turbo®?
    >This patented device is compatible with most standard pMDI's on the market.  New inhalers are added to the list of compatible inhalers as they pass the required testing.
  2. How is MD Turbo® triggered?
    >MD Turbo® uses a proprietary technology, called i-Point™ inhalation technology, to release medication automatically when the patient inhales at a predetermined inspiratory flow rate.  An inhalation rate of between 30 and 60 liters per minute causes the vane to rotate and release the plunger in the device, which presses down on the canister, delivering the medication.
  3. What if the patient can't trigger MD Turbo® with the breath?
    >The Priming/Manual Override Button allows patients to release medication manually.
  4. How do you clean MD Turbo®?
    >A clean, damp cloth is all that is needed. Never submerge it. Do not use a chemical solvent or detergent.
  5. How long will the MD Turbo® counter work?
    >For a display of doses remaining in a pMDI canister, reset the counter on MD Turbo® each time you install a new one.  This counter will function for 13½ months after the pull-tab is first removed.  To help patients keep track, a "last can" symbol will appear on the counter 365 days after the pull-tab is removed from the counter. Six weeks after the "last can" symbol appears, the dose counter will turn off. Instructions for Use
  6. Can the battery in the dose counter be replaced?
    >No.  If the dose counter shuts off, the device will no longer work as designed and should be replaced.
  7. Does MD Turbo change the medication in any way?
    >No. Medication comes out of the mouthpiece of the inhaler exactly as it was designed to do by its manufacturer.  MD Turbo simply depresses the canister to release the medication. 
  8. Where can patients get MD Turbo?
    >Most pharmacies in the United States should carry MD Turbo. A prescription is required.
  9. How do patients prime the inhaler when it's inside the MD Turbo?
    >The need to prime an inhaler is no different with MD Turbo than without.
    >To prime:
    1. Shake the MD Turbo with the inhaler installed;
    2. Aim the inhaler mouthpiece away from you;
    3. Make sure the lock is in the down position; and
    4. Press the priming/manual override button on the back of MD Turbo.
    5. Repeat these steps as many times as is recommended by the manufacturer of the inhaler.
      >Note: The counter will count down one time for each priming spray.
  10. Where can I get more information about asthma, COPD, inhalers and medications?
    >A patient's physician and other healthcare providers are, of course, excellent sources of information about issues specific to the patient's care.

For more information, see the links below.

Note: The following links are provided as a service. The materials on the linked sites are created and maintained by private and public organizations separate from Respirics Inc., and they are responsible for the content contained therein.

Department of Health and Human Services - National Institutes of Health - National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

MD Turbo