A REVIEW ON INTEGRATING SMART INHALERS FOR ASTHMA MANAGEMENT: A STEP TOWARD DIGITAL RESPIRATORY HEALTHCARE

Asthma remains one of the chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of individuals globally, over time, conventional inhalers have remained greatly useful in asthma control Nevertheless, there still exists a great deal of challenges in control of asthma including; lack of compliance, inappropriate inhalation methods, and lack of monitoring. Therefore, smart inhalers have introduced the union of digital technology and traditional inhaler devices, creating a viable solution and a future-proof solution through offering real-time feedback, dose tracking, and predictive analytics to aid patient adherence and optimize treatment results. The current review critically examines the current literature relating to the use of smart inhalers in the management of asthma, and their clinical benefits, drawbacks, and future perspectives. The objective is to combine critical findings and data regarding their efficacy in improving medication adherence, asthma control, treatment plans individualized and patient outcomes via AI driven insights and smartphone connectivity. However, despite its merits it also has limitations such as cost, user acceptability differing patient acceptability, cost-effectiveness and data privacy concerns. Future technologies, such as AI-powered inhalers and telemedicine platforms are set to revolutionize the digital respiratory healthcare systems. Lastly   this review highlights the emerging role of pharmacists in using smart inhaler data to enable targeted interventions and drug management, with attention to long-term clinical effect and integration into digital respiratory healthcare systems with the promise of improving patient outcomes in asthma care.                   Peer Review History: Received 2 February 2026;   Reviewed 13 March 2026; Accepted  11 April; Available online 15 May 2026 Academic Editor: Dr. Tamer Elhabibi, Suez Canal University, Egypt, tamer_hassan@pharm.suez.edu.eg Reviewers: Dr. Mrinal Kanti Bhoumik, Jubilant Cadista Pharmaceutical Inc., mrinal_bhoumik@yahoo.com  Dr. Md. Shahidul Islam, USTC, Chittagong, Bangladesh, S_i_liton@yahoo.com