Qvar Redihaler is not a dry powder inhaler. It is a pressurized, breath-actuated, metered-dose inhaler (MDI) that delivers its medication as an aerosol spray, not a dry powder. The confusion is understandable because, like a dry powder inhaler, the Redihaler releases medication automatically when you inhale. But the underlying technology is different.
How the Redihaler Differs From a Dry Powder Inhaler
Dry powder inhalers contain medication in a fine powder form and rely entirely on the force of your breath to pull the powder into your lungs. They have no propellant. The Qvar Redihaler, by contrast, contains a pressurized canister with an HFA propellant that pushes the medication out as an aerosolized mist. The key difference from a traditional press-and-breathe MDI is that the Redihaler doesn’t have a button you press. Instead, it uses a breath-actuated mechanism: when you inhale through the mouthpiece, the device senses your airflow and automatically fires the dose.
This is what makes people mistake it for a dry powder inhaler. Both device types are triggered by breathing in. But the Redihaler still uses a pressurized canister and propellant, placing it firmly in the metered-dose inhaler category.
Why the Distinction Matters
The device type affects how you use it and who it works best for. Dry powder inhalers require a strong, fast inhalation to disperse the powder properly, which can be difficult for young children, elderly patients, or anyone having a severe asthma flare. The Redihaler’s propellant does some of that work for you, so the inhalation effort needed is lower. You still need to breathe in steadily, but the device doesn’t depend on your lung power alone to deliver the full dose.
Another practical difference: you cannot use a spacer or valved holding chamber with the Redihaler. Traditional press-and-breathe MDIs are often paired with spacers to improve drug delivery and reduce medication depositing in your mouth and throat. The Redihaler’s breath-actuated design makes spacer use incompatible, since the device needs to detect airflow directly from your mouth to fire.
What Qvar Redihaler Contains
The active ingredient is beclomethasone dipropionate, a corticosteroid used for long-term asthma maintenance. It is not a rescue inhaler. It comes in two strengths: 40 mcg and 80 mcg per actuation. Both strengths are supplied in a 10.6-gram canister that provides 120 inhalations. The 40 mcg version comes in a beige actuator, and the 80 mcg version comes in a maroon actuator, making them easy to tell apart visually. Each canister has a built-in dose counter so you know when it’s running low.
How to Use It
The Redihaler is simpler to use than most inhalers. You do not need to shake it before each dose. You also never need to prime it, not even the first time you use a new canister. The device uses what’s called a primeless valve, so every actuation delivers a full dose from the start. This is a notable convenience compared to traditional MDIs, which typically need several “waste” sprays into the air before first use and again if you haven’t used them for a while.
One important caution: do not shake the inhaler while the cap is open. Because the device is breath-actuated, shaking it with the cap off can accidentally trigger a dose and waste medication. To use it, simply open the cap, exhale away from the device, seal your lips around the mouthpiece, and breathe in steadily. The device fires automatically during your inhalation. After inhaling, hold your breath for a few seconds to let the medication settle into your airways, then breathe out normally.
Redihaler vs. Traditional MDIs
The biggest advantage of the breath-actuated design is coordination. With a standard press-and-breathe MDI, you have to press the canister and inhale at exactly the right moment. Poor timing is one of the most common inhaler mistakes, and it means less medication reaches your lungs. The Redihaler eliminates this problem entirely because the device handles the timing for you.
The tradeoff is the spacer limitation mentioned above. If you’ve been told you need a spacer for better drug delivery or to reduce side effects like oral thrush (a common concern with inhaled corticosteroids), the Redihaler won’t accommodate one. Rinsing your mouth with water after each use helps reduce this risk.
In terms of the medication itself, Qvar Redihaler delivers an extrafine aerosol, meaning the particles are smaller than those produced by many other inhaled corticosteroids. Smaller particles can penetrate deeper into the smaller airways of the lungs, which is one reason why the prescribed doses of beclomethasone in this formulation tend to be lower than what you’d see with some other inhaled steroids.