Inhaler Technique A Major Concern

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 21 Nov 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Around six million Australians suffer from respiratory diseases, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and asthma.

Most of these people rely on preventer and reliever medications delivered via an inhaler to manage their conditions, but the experts believe that the vast majority are not using their inhalers properly.

In fact, estimates indicate that up to 90 per cent of patients are misusing their inhalers resulting in poor medication delivery, which in turn can lead to reduced quality of life, more frequent and longer hospital stays and even an increased dependence on their medication.

Whilst inhaler misuse appears to be rife across all age groups, it is such a concern amongst veterans and other older people that the Department of Veterans' Affairs has collaborated with Australia's leading respiratory health organisations, The Australian Lung Foundation and the National Asthma Council Australia, as well as the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Australian General Practice Network to create a new community education campaign to get people puffing properly.

The aptly titled: "Prevent Puffer Problems" campaign features a range of easy to understand resources designed to improve inhaler use including self-care cards, which will be available in pharmacies, and a new inhaler technique demonstration video that will be freely available via the National Asthma Council Australia's website: http://www.NationalAsthma.org.au

All six main types of asthma and COPD inhalers currently on the market in Australia are highlighted in the video which shows National Asthma Council Australia asthma educator, Judi Wicking, providing patients with step-by-step usage instructions. The video also includes captions to ensure viewers who may be hard of hearing get the right message.

According to Judi Wicking, anyone who uses an inhaler would benefit from reviewing how they use it to ensure they are really getting maximum impact from their medication.

"The fact is most people who use an inhaler aren't doing it properly. They may never have been shown the correct technique in the first place or they may not have regular usage reviews with their GP or pharmacist, which means poor technique becomes a bad habit," she said.

Veterans and other older people are particularly prone to problems with inhaler use due to lack of dexterity and sometimes a limited understanding of the manufacturer's instructions.

"For these people being able to watch another person demonstrating the right way to use the same inhaler that they have been prescribed will be invaluable and the video can be viewed on demand as often as required," Judi said.

She advises anyone who uses an inhaler to ask their GP or pharmacist to physically show them how to use it and recommends regularly asking a health professional to double check technique to ensure no bad habits have crept in.

Common problems include not shaking a puffer between each dose; not holding a Turbuhaler or Accuhaler at the right angle when loading a dose; and, putting multiple doses into a spacer, rather than inhaling each individual dose one at a time.

The "Prevent Puffer Problems" campaign was launched today by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Hon Alan Griffin at Melbourne's Austin Hospital.

The campaign also includes an educational component for pharmacists and GPs to help them brush up on their inhaler technique and equip them with up to date information to ensure their patients are puffing properly.

National Asthma Council Australia