If someone had an asthma attack and used the asthma pump, the fast will be broken according to the Hanafī research. This is because the pump contains medicine, which goes down the throat.

Some people say that it does not break the fast, because the medicine goes into the lungs, not down to the stomach. However, this is not true. The Fuqahā have said that smoking cigarettes breaks the fast, and that smoke also goes down to the lungs and not the stomach. Therefore, anything that is swallowed or inhaled deliberately should nullify the fast. Secondly, although most of it goes in the lungs, some of it does go down the throat and into the stomach.

One may ask, “What should such a person do?” The answer would be to try and avoid the pump as much as possible. Avoid heavy activities, which make one short of breath – take it easy during Ramadhān. If one can take time off during Ramadhān they should do so. Then, if it becomes necessary to take it, use it, but do Tashabbuh Bissaimeen i.e. emulate those who are fasting and keep Qadhā during the shorter days of winter.

If the person is elderly or unable to keep Qadhā, he/she could give Fidyā for the fasts.

Extracted from A Gift for Ramadhan, Page 57.

A Gift For Ramadhan – New 3rd Revised Edition