EASE-OF-USE STUDY OF PIRBUTEROL ACETATE IN THE AUTOHALER(TM) ACTUATORIN 3 COUNTRIES - THE UNITED-STATES, GERMANY, AND FRANCE

The preferred form of acute bronchodilator therapy is to administer ae rosolized beta-agonist by a metered-dose inhaler. Many patients cannot use this device efficiently, the major problem being coordination of dose release with inspiration. A new breath-actuated inhaler (the Auto haler(TM) actuator) has been developed to overcome this problem. The o bjective of this study was to evaluate patient's and staff's perceptio ns of this device. Ninety-eight percent of patients rated the device e asy to use and 83% rated the overall use as excellent or good. The sta ffs rated it as excellent or good for 93% of patients. It was conclude d that patients would accept this device, and greater patient complian ce could be realized.