ASSESSMENT OF THE INHALATION TECHNIQUE IN OUTPATIENTS WITH ASTHMA OR CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE USING A METERED-DOSE INHALER OR DRY POWDER DEVICE

Inhaled medication is commonly prescribed for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but is often not pro perly used by patients. A total of 316 patients suffering from asthma or COPD took part in a study that evaluated how patients utilized thei r metered-dose inhaler (MDI) or dry powder inhaler, using a standardiz ed inhaler checklist. Two hundred eighty-one patients (88.9%) made at least one mistake in the inhalation technique. The mistakes were class ified into skill and nonskill mistakes. Two hundred patients made one or more skill mistakes and 81 patients only made one or more nonskill mistakes. The most common skill error was ''not continuing to inhale s lowly after activation of the canister'' (69.6%). The nonskill item mo st patients had difficulties with was ''exhale before the inhalation'' (65.8%). Patients who used an MDI made significantly fewer nonskill m istakes than patients using a dry powder device. Older patients had mo re difficulty with the correct use of the inhaler than younger patient s. There was no difference in errors between men and women. In this pa tient sample, most patients failed to use their inhaler correctly. Reg ular instructions and checkups of inhalation technique are the respons ibility of the physician and should be a standard and routine procedur e.