Living with Impaired Airway Clearance?

If shortness of breath, frequent cough, or chest pain is getting in the way of you enjoying life’s moments, you may be living with a chronic respiratory condition, such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, or bronchiectasis. Over your lifetime, these lung diseases can weaken the airways, making it difficult for your body to naturally clear mucus on its own so it can prevent the spread of infection.

Living with bronchiectasis has its good and bad days, or “flare ups” (a.k.a exacerbations). When this happens, you may experience a worsening of the following symptoms:

A patient discussing her impaired airway clearance with SmartVest uses her therapy while answering work emails.

Chronic cough that produces mucus in lungs

Recurring respiratory infections

Breathlessness and wheezing

General fatigue

Chat with a Respiratory Therapist

Having recurring flare-ups could mean you spend more time in the hospital and less time spent with family or doing activities you love. Schedule a time to chat with one of our Patient Care Advocates, who are Respiratory Therapists, to discuss your symptoms and if SmartVest could be the right option for you. Or call them directly at 1.855.528.5690.

patient care advocate illustrations

What is Bronchiectasis?

Bronchiectasis (brong-kee-EK-tuh-sis) is an irreversible, chronic condition where airways in your lungs (bronchi) become damaged and abnormally widened from recurring inflammation or infection.

As your airways are repeatedly damaged, your lungs slowly lose their ability to mobilize and clear mucus. This makes it easier for bacteria to infect your lungs. Each recurring infection causes more damage to your airways, which over time weakens their ability to move air in and out.

Learn More About Bronchiectasis

Diagram of an airway with Bronchiectasis before treatment with SmartVest

More Chronic Lung Conditions

In addition to bronchiectasis, other lung diseases that can hinder your ability to effectively clear the airways and breathe independently.

COPD

Find More COPD Resources on Our Blog

Neuromuscular

Learn More at the Muscular Dystrophy Association

Cystic Fibrosis

Learn More at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Before I started using SmartVest, I couldn’t make it up the stairs or do any kind of activities like swimming. I was always out of breath.
Liz

How Does an Airway Clearance Vest Work?

HFCWO therapy with SmartVest is an effective and comfortable airway clearance technique for managing bronchiectasis-related symptoms.

Air-Pulse Technology

A generator delivers rapidly repeating pulses of air to a respiratory vest

Gentle Squeezes

Each pulse gently squeezes and releases the chest to loosen mucus in the lungs

Clears Airways

Mucus is propelled towards major airways where it can be coughed out more easily

How To Treat Impaired Airway Clearance

Your doctor may recommend a combination of medication and airway clearance techniques to help clear mucus in the lungs and reduce the onset of symptoms.

Common Airway Clearance Treatments Include:

SmartVest: A high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) vest, SmartVest thins, shears, and propels mucus from the lungs, moving it toward major airways where it can be coughed out more easily.

Manual Chest Physiotherapy: Several times a day using various positions, a therapist or caregiver manually claps on the patient’s chest wall to help move the mucus into the larger airways.

Breathing Techniques: Using controlled breathing to loosen and mobilize mucus.

Antibiotic Regimens: Used to treat acute infections, performs well when combined with airway clearance therapies.

OPEP Devices: These devices create resistance and vibrations while exhaling, which helps to clear mucus from the airways.

Outsmart the Cycle of Chronic Lung Infection

The SmartVest Airway Clearance System has proven results that demonstrate its effectiveness in treating bronchiectasis and helping patients get proactive with their HFCWO therapy.

In a published study, patients experienced a dramatic improvement in their breathing and lung function, and even saw a decrease in their antibiotic usage after using SmartVest.1

“I was able to go grocery shopping without using oxygen. Each day I use it, I get better results.” – Shirley

A man wears his SmartVest while reading a newspaper

On Average, SmartVest Users Perform Therapy:

Request an Informational Packet Today!

Find relief from your chronic cough, recurring respiratory infections, and other bronchiectasis-related symptoms with SmartVest. Request a packet to share with your doctor!

Have questions now? Call our Patient Care Advocates, who are Respiratory Therapists, at 1.855.528.5690 or schedule a time to chat and see if SmartVest could be the right option for you.

Request an Informational Packet Today

A patient discussing her impaired airway clearance with SmartVest uses her therapy while answering work emails.