Inhaler advice fear for asthma patients

Published on 04/10/2012 00:00

MANY health workers do not know how to use inhalers properly and are, therefore, unable to teach asthma patients to care for themselves. a medical journal has claimed.

A report in the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin said: “Many patients cannot use inhalers correctly and over 50 per cent struggle to use a metered dose inhaler (MDI) properly.

“Of perhaps more concern is the fact that many health professionals also do not know how to use inhalers correctly and are, therefore, not in a position to coach patients effectively.”

One study showed that 91 per cent of healthcare professionals who teach patients how to use inhalers could not demonstrate all the recognised steps involved in administering an MDI.