Inspiratory muscle weakness is inherent in various patient groups but is most common in COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Heart Failure and Neuromuscular disease.  Weakness of the inspiratory muscles can result from a number of causes, including disease. Difficulty breathing is a sign of inspiratory weakness, and a major sign of serious disease of the airway, lungs or heart.

Not only can lack of activity cause inspiratory muscle weakness but also the use of oral steroid medication to control conditions such as asthma and emphysema has been shown to cause weakness of the inspiratory muscles.

The POWERbreathe Medic 

The POWERbreathe Medic is a drug-free Inspiratory Muscle Training device. It is the intervention used in research to investigate the benefits of Inspiratory Muscle Training in a variety of medical conditions and is shown to yield:

  • Improvements in inspiratory muscle strength, power and endurance 
  • Structural and biomechanical adaptations 

More importantly, inspiratory muscle training (IMT) reduces dyspnea during exercise and daily activities, as well as improving exercise tolerance and quality of life, particularly in patients with COPD. 

The POWERbreathe Medic  offers an evidence-based, drug-free treatment for patients with a variety of medical conditions such as COPD, Heart Failure, Asthma, Thoracic Surgery, Ventilator Weaning, Cystic Fibrosis and Neuromuscular Disease. It is available on prescription at the prevailing charge. 

Why patients are requesting the POWERbreathe Medic

You may find that when you ask your GP about the POWERbreathe Medic or IMT (Inspiratory Muscle Training), they may not yet be fully familiar with the product or concept. They can however easily refer to the Drug Tariff for the details required in order to prescribe it.

POWERbreathe Medic Inspiratory Muscle Training is being prescribed by medical professionals as either a standalone intervention or as part of a rehabilitation program. One medical professional in Brazil used the electronic POWERbreathe K5 to help a 93-year-old patient train her inspiratory muscles so that she had the strength to inhale her much-needed medication.

Patients with a breathing difficulty are more frequently asking for alternatives to traditional drug-based treatments and therapies. This may be because the side effects of prescribed drugs may be limiting daily life, or it may be because they wish to maximize control of their condition with complementary treatment. POWERbreathe Medic training can be tailored from low-intensity training to high-intensity training and is easy to use straight out of the box.

We have published a printable leaflet that can be printed off and taken with you to your GP’s appointment as it explains how POWERbreathe works, in case your GP isn’t familiar with it.

Download POWERbreathe Information for Healthcare Professionals >

POWERbreathe Medic – Reviewed by West Cumbria Respiratory Team

“Our patients have found it to be of great benefit. We have been using the POWERbreathe Medic for over a year as part of the pulmonary rehab program and our patients have found it to be of great benefit and enjoy using it. We have good compliance and have found an improvement in patients’ fitness. We will continue to use the POWERbreathe Medic as an adjunct to our program.”
Emma Hamilton, West Cumbria Respiratory Team, Workington Community Hospital.

The Medical Device Directives

Within Europe the EU passed a set of directives that introduced legal controls regulating the safety and performance of devices across the European Union. These Directives included mandatory provisions for the mandatory CE marking of products. These European Medical Devices Directives have now been implemented into UK legislation by the Medical Devices Regulations 2002.

CE Mark

The CE mark and the UKCA mark confirm that the product conforms with the relevant medical device directives and that it is fit for its intended purpose. The POWERbreathe Medic, and all POWERbreathe devices, are CE and/or UKCA marked and are a Class 1 Medical Device.