Correct Inhaler Usage
over 70% of inhaler Medication (controller or Relief) is incorrectly administered
At a recent National Asthma Summit, held by the Allergy and Asthma Network, it was announced that over 70% of inhaler medication, whether controller or relief, was incorrectly administered. This is a staggering metric because it indicates that asthma patients who are prescribed a daily controller medication may not be getting the medication into their lungs to have the desired effect on their airways. Overuse of the quick-relief inhaler is a common problem for those who do not take their controller medication regularly, but now we understand that much of this usage is incorrect. Often a patient is seen struggling with respiratory difficulty as they administer multiple puffs of their quick-relief inhaler. However, if this administration is incorrect, the patient is still not getting medication into the lungs to relieve the airway inflammation. Continued respiratory distress leaves the patient/caregiver with no other choice then to get emergency assistance.
The following educational videos provide asthma medication management, information on each type of inhaler, and show how to correctly administer the medication using that type of inhaler;
Asthma Management: Quick-Relief and Controller Medications
Asthma Management: Anti-Inflammatory, Bronchodilator and Combination Medications
Asthma Management: Metered Dose Inhalers and Spacers
Asthma Management: Using a Nebulizer
How to Use an Inhaler Without a Spacer
How to Use an Inhaler With a Spacer
How to Use a Powder Inhaler (Egg Style)
How to Use a Powder Inhaler (Disc Style)
70% incorrect inhaler usage is not an acceptable rate given the tragic impacts of not relieving asthma symptoms, but collectively all of these gaps in care are a sign of health system failure when it comes to managing and controlling patients’ asthma.