A UK design student has created an extremely thin, credit card sized asthma inhaler that, it is hoped, will help improve the lives of many people who suffer from the condition.

Adam Bates, from Brunel University in London, invented the 6 mm device in response to a friend who complained of difficulties carrying her normal inhaler when out socialising.

“She always has her credit card with her though,” said Adam, “So I thought if I built an inhaler as small as that she could fit it in her pocket or purse.”

Asthma UK, which has welcomed the new design, explained that although the condition can be kept under control with medication, many people still die each year from asthma attacks.

The charity adds that many of these fatalities could be avoided if people took their prescribed medications, which include preventer and reliever drugs delivered via an inhaler. However, many people, especially teenagers do not want carry bulky inhalers and find it embarrassing to take their medication in front of their friends.

“This kind of slimline inhaler would be ideal for them,” said Lizzy Martenson, Senior Health Promotion Officer at Asthma UK. “If it encourages them to take their preventer medicine regularly and carry their reliever medication when they go out, it would enable them to take more control over their health and could go some way towards preventing needless deaths.”

The Thinhaler, which contains around 100 doses of medication, currently has a patent pending as is expected to enter full production in the near future.