Frequently Asked Questions HOW DO SMARTINHALER REMINDERS HELP PATIENTS? Forgetting to take preventative/controller medication is a common problem for patients and caregivers of patients using long term medications such as asthma & copd inhalers. Controller/Preventer Medication Reminders Smartinhalers contain audio and visual reminders that help patients to remember to take their controller/preventer medications as prescribed.  The Audio reminders play a small ringtone if the patient has forgotten to take their medication by the programmed time. The ringtones play for around 3 seconds every few minutes until the medication is used or for half an hour, which ever happens first. The reminders have a cancel feature that makes the device snooze until the next scheduled reminder time. There are 14 ring tone reminders, and two reminder modes (repeat or cycle).The reminder times can be personalised by the patient in the same way as an alarm clock is programmed. There are both weekday and weekend reminders.  The Visual reminders tell the patient when they last took their medication, and how much they have used in the last 24 hours. The medication use history can also be downloaded to SmartinhalerLive.com to view of the full history of medication usage patterns. The audio and visual reminders have been proven to be very effective at increasing medication adherence in a clinical trial setting (ref Charles et al on this page). Reliever  Medication Reminders Smartinhalers for reliever medications contain visual reminders that feedback to patients when they last used their reliever medication and how many doses have been used in the last 24 hours. Use of more than 2 puffs per week can be a very useful indicator of a deteriorating condition and can give early warning to the patient to their adjust preventer/controller medication in accordance with their action plan. The medication use history can also be downloaded to SmartinhalerLive.com to view of the full history of medication usage patterns.  LONG DOES THE BATTERY LAST? SmartTrack Rechargeable via USB - just like a ipod. The Battery lasts for between 2 and 4 months depending on whether audio visual reminders are turned on and how often they play (which varies with adherence). Smartinhaler Tracker Minimum 12 months, with a shelf life of 6 years. Battery non rechargeable and replaceable by user. SmartTurbo Minimum 12 months, with a shelf life of 6 years. Battery non rechargeable and replaceable by user. Please note - we have a new rechargeable version due for release very soon. SmartTrack - with embedded cellular communications Rechargeable via USB - just like a ipod. The Battery lasts between 1 and 2 months depending on frequency of upload and whether audio visual reminders are turned on and how often they play (which varies with adherence). HOW LONG CAN A SMARTINHALER HOLD INFORMATION BEFORE IT NEEDS TO BE DOWNLOADED? Indefinitely until it is uploaded to the software. If the battery goes flat, data stored in the device will remain there until the battery is recharged or replaced and then uploaded. Note however that once the battery goes flat, the device will stop monitoring. The device stores a low battery log so that the point in time that the device stopped logging is known.  CAN THE SMARTINHALER BE TRIGGERED UNINTENTIONALLY? FOR EXAMPLE IN A SCHOOL BAG? If the unintentional triggering is of sufficient force to cause the medication to dispense, then the Smartinhaler will record the actuation event. Note however that actuation logging is internal to the Smartinhaler, and is therefore protected from tampering.  WHAT IF I DO NOT WANT A REMINDER OR LCD SCREEN ON MY SMARTINHALER? Smartinhalers can be supplied without audio-visual reminders. If reminders are requested they are switched off at the end of manufacture and will not show or sound unless switched on. Smartinhaler reminders are switched on and off via the software, and via the LCD display on Smartinhaler versions that include an LCD.  CAN THE SOFTWARE DETECT DOSE DUMPING? Yes. The software contains reports that highlight periods where repeated consecutive actuation have occurred. The time window between consecutive doses can be changed by the user e.g. 1 minute, 10 minutes etc.  CAN SMARTINHALERS BE RE-ASSIGNED WITH MULTIPLE PARTICIPANTS AT DIFFERENT TIMES? Use excluding Smartinhaler Tracker. Nexus6 recommends devices are not re-used.  WHAT SMARTINHALER DO I SELECT FOR MEDICATIONS? Advair/Seretide Diskus: SmartDisk Advair/Seretide pMDI: SmartTrack Flovent/Flixotide Diskus: SmartDisk Flovent/Flixotide pMDI Dose Counter version: SmartTrack Flixotide pMDI No Dose Counter version: Either SmartTrack or Smartinhaler Tracker for Flixotide (Tracker is for use in clinical trials only) Ventolin pMDI Dose Counter version: We are currently optimising SmartTrack for use with Ventolin. Please contact us for further information. Ventolin pMDI No Dose Counter version: Smartinhaler Tracker for Ventolin (clinical trials only). Xopenex pMDI: SmartTrack Serevent no Dose Counter version: Smartinhaler Tracker for Seretide Symbicort Turbuhaler: SmartTurbo Symbicort/Vannair pMDI: Smartinhaler Tracker for Vannair (clinical trials only) Pulmicort Turbuhaler: SmartTurbo Other Medications: Contact us. If a monitor is not available for a medication you require, we can provide a solution for this at an additional customization fee. Please contact us  to discuss your requirements. HOW DO SMARTTRACKLIVE AND SMARTDISKLIVE WORK? Smartinhaler cellular devices automatically transmit the contents of their electronic diary memory back to the SmartinhalerLive.com website on a pre-scheduled or event driven basis. Uploaded medication adherence and device diagnostic information can be viewed at www.SmartinhalerLive.com. This provides the ultimate respiratory clinical trial and disease management solution.  CAN SPACERS BE USED WITH SMARTINHALERS? Yes, absolutely. We Nexus6 we encourage the use of spacers for improved lung deposition and for reducing the potential for technique issues. Please contact us if your question is still unanswered.