|Articles|December 31, 2006

Evaluating Inhaler Contents: The "Sink or Swim" Approach

To determine how much medicationis left in an inhaler, drop the canisterinto a glass of water.

To determine how much medicationis left in an inhaler, drop the canisterinto a glass of water. If it sinks to thebottom, it is full; if it floats, it is empty;if it drops partway down the glassand then stops, it has some medicationleft--but not much.
-- Mohammed M. Basha, MD
Gainesville, Fla

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Evaluating Inhaler Contents: The "Sink or Swim" Approach

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