
Clinicians can play a critical role in helping their patients determine the status of their asthma inhalers, eliminating the potential for disposing of an inhaler that still has medicine in it or continuing to use an empty one. A recent study about the challenges that face asthma patients in determining when inhalers are empty will lead to better physician-to-patient awareness and education.
The British study, “How Do Patients Determine When Their Inhaler Is Empty? Insights From an Analysis of Returned Inhalers and a Patient Survey,” recently published in BMJ Open Respiratory Research, was designed to better understand the extent of inhaler use and disposal behaviors. Researchers said not knowing how to determine an inhaler canister’s fill status has both health and environmental implications.
In the study, researchers analyzed 2,614 pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) returned through the Chiesi Inhaler Recycling Scheme in Manchester, England. The inhalers were dismantled, and the remaining doses were calculated by weighing the canisters. Additionally, researchers analyzed patient responses from an online survey regarding their inhaler use and disposal practices.
Key findings from the research revealed:
- Dose counters: Inhalers with integrated dose counters were more likely to be returned empty (51.3%) compared to those without dose counters (25.1%). Conversely, inhalers without dose counters were more frequently returned underused (33.2%) than those with dose counters (5.2%).
- Overuse: A substantial proportion of inhalers were returned overused, with similar rates for devices with and without dose counters (34.0% vs. 23.2%).
- Patient confidence: More than half of the respondents (55.2%) using inhalers without dose counters reported a lack of confidence in identifying when their inhaler was empty. Additionally, 20.6% of respondents with dose counters continued using their inhalers beyond the “zero” mark.
The study’s authors said the results suggest that physicians play a vital role in improving patient awareness and education of how to use inhalers properly as well as the consequences of improper use.
Underusing or overusing inhalers can have serious health implications, the researchers said. Underuse may lead to inadequate asthma or COPD management, while overuse can result in medication wastage and increased health care costs. The lack of patient knowledge about the remaining doses in their inhalers also poses environmental concerns due to improper disposal.
The U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) has established a goal of reducing its direct carbon footprint by 80% by 2032, reaching net zero by 2040. According to the British agency, medicines account for 25% of NHS emissions and asthma inhalers account for 3%.