Asthma Inhalers – Faulty Technique Leads to Poor Asthma Control

Poor asthma control remains a frequent cause of emergency room visits and hospital admission and the cost of uncontrolled asthma care is substantial. The most important advantage of inhaled therapy is the direct, localized delivery of a high concentration of drugs to the airways with minimal systematic side effects United States. The improper use of inhaled devices in the management of bronchial asthma decrease the drug delivery to the lungs, patient’s adherence to the treatment and drug effectiveness leading to poor Asthma Control.

Major Steps to be taken to reduce the incorrect inhaler techniques are:

Proper Evaluation of the Inhaler Device Usage can lead to better Asthma treatment

• Package inserts and patient information leaflets may not be written in suitable language and appropriately illustrated, even where no actual language barrier exists, and print may be too small for some older patients, specific personalized training may require to be produced
• Health professionals should not assume that their patients are being trained in inhaler use by others
• Existing Asthma inhaler users should be screened periodically to ensure they are using a correct technique
• Instruction should include “learn, practice and reinforce” techniques
• After instructing patients in the use of inhalers, the patients should be required to demonstrate the correct use of their device
• Multimedia, audiovisual training techniques may prove useful for educating patients or evaluating their technique
• Educating patients in inhaler use may improve adherence as well as technique

Proper Evaluation of the Inhaler Device Usage can lead to better Asthma treatment

• The ability of the Asthma patient to develop and maintain an effective technique with the specific device
• The suitability of a device for the Asthma patient’s lifestyles, considering factors such as portability and convenience
• The patient’s preference for and willingness to use a particular device.