Over 50% of asthma patients prescribed a pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) are using it incorrectly and almost 80% of those have uncontrolled asthma according to a UK study of almost 4,000 patients.
Nurses from the Improving the Management of Patients Asthma and COPD Treatment (IMPACT) service visited 15 practices and reviewed the inhaler technique of 3,981 asthma patients, using a monitor which measures inspiratory flow, synchronisation and breath-holding. Most patients had been prescribed a pMDI- 64% of relievers and 68% of preventers.
Of those using a pMDI, 58% were found to have incorrect technique on at least one of the three criteria measured and 79% of those had uncontrolled asthma using the GINA definition.
In comparison. 59% of those with good inhaler technique had controlled asthma and a further 21% had partially controlled asthma.
The paper is published today in the Primary Care Respiratory Journal.
