[Use of inhaled bronchodilators by primary care patients]

Abstract

Objective: To find how widespread incorrect inhalation techniques are in patients on long-term inhalation treatments, comparing different methods and the health control standard.

Design: A descriptive crossover study.

Setting: Three Health Centres in Burgos.

Patients: People over 15 with at least a month on inhalation treatment.

Measurements and main results: A questionnaire was composed to find the characteristics of the patients and their illness. Then their inhalation method was qualified as correct, acceptable or incorrect, using a scale based on Newman's classic criteria. Average age was 63.8 +/- 15.6, with 66.5% men. 11.6% of patients were active smokers. The most common diagnosis was COPD (61.6%). 65% of the patients were monitored within primary care (PC). The most common inhalation method was pressurised aerosol (61%); 26.2% of patients used two or more different methods. Only 21.3% of patients correctly performed the technique of inhalation, with better results for patients under specialist care (SC) than PC. 10.5% of patients had never received instruction on an inhalation technique. The method with the best results was the dry dust one, with differences close to statistical significance.

Conclusions: There is widespread incorrect use of methods of inhalation. Most people use a pressurised aerosol. There are a large number of patients who have never been shown the correct way to inhale.