Asthma

Respiratory.Connected Online Educational Series: Session 1

Optimising inhaler choice through personalised management

In the first session of the series, Richard Costello and Janwillem Kocks discussed the substantial burden incurred by poor inhaler technique and adherence. Professor Kocks began by highlighting that – despite improved medication – inhaler technique and adherence remain poor, leading to poor outcomes for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).1-7 He emphasised the importance of inhaler technique and adherence according to current guidelines,8, 9 and highlighted that prescribing multiple inhalers with differences in dose preparation is undesirable because of potential confusion in inhaler technique.10

The speakers discussed their own clinical observations on the effect of adherence behaviour – that patients who show non-adherence to asthma and COPD medications often also show non-adherence to their other medications. Inhaler technique often deteriorates over time.11,12 The speakers emphasised the importance of education on inhaler technique in terms of teaching inhaler use to patients, providing instructions broken down into clear steps, and asking patients to demonstrate their inhaler technique in person.

Respiratory.Connected events are organised and funded by Teva Pharmaceuticals and intended for healthcare professionals only. Views provided by speakers are their own and not necessarily shared by Teva Pharmaceuticals.

Approval code:   RESP-TPE-NP-00381 Date of preparation:  May 2023

References

  1. Suissa S, et al. N Engl J Med 2000;343:332–6
  2. Vestbo J, et al. Thorax 2009;64:939–43S
  3. Westerik JA, et al. J Asthma 2016;53:321–9
  4. Price DB, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2017;5:1071–81.e9
  5. Chrystyn H, et al. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2017;27:22
  6. Ocakli B, et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulm Dis 2018;13:2941–7
  7. Melani AS, et al. Resp Med 2011;105:930–8
  8. GINA 2022. Available at www.ginasthma.org (accessed May 2023)
  9. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2022. Available at www.goldcopd.org (accessed May 2023)
  10. Bosnic-Anticevich S, et al. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2017;12:59–71
  11. Crompton GK, et al. Resp Med 2006;100:1479–94
  12. Ovchinikova L, et al. J Asthma 2011;48:616–24
See More