A RECENT study identified significant issues with the suboptimal use of inhalers among hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The study, conducted by researchers at the Fribourg Hospital in Switzerland, aimed to assess the prevalence and identify factors contributing to the misuse of inhalers among patients with COPD, admitted to the general internal medicine division between August 2022 and April 2023.
The study included 96 patients and assessed 160 inhalers at admission using the In-Check Dial G16® to evaluate inhaler technique and peak inspiratory flow (PIF). The primary outcome focused on the prevalence of misused inhalers, defined as those used with a critical error in technique or insufficient PIF. Secondary outcomes included identifying inhalers unsuitable for the patient’s characteristics and the number of patients using at least one misused inhaler.
Results showed that a staggering 69.4% of the inhalers were misused, with 65.6% of these due to critical errors in the inhalation technique and 13.8% due to insufficient PIF. Additionally, 16.9% of the inhalers were deemed unsuitable for the patients using them, and 82.3% of the patients were found to use at least one misused inhaler.
These findings demonstrate a significant gap in the proper administration of inhaler therapy among hospitalised patients with COPD, which could potentially impact the treatment outcomes of those patients. This highlights the need for improved patient education and assessment of inhaler techniques, particularly for hospitalised patients with COPD.
The authors of the study suggest that routine checks and personalised training on inhaler use could help mitigate the risks associated with improper inhaler use, ultimately leading to better management of COPD in hospitalised patients.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Grandmaison G et al. Prevalence of Critical Errors and Insufficient Peak Inspiratory Flow in Patients Hospitalized With COPD in a Department of General Internal Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Study. Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis. 2024;11(4):406-15.
