Type of inhaler used in asthma treatment crucial

Asthma is one of the most prevalent diseases in our society with more than five million people being affected with the disease, in the UK alone. According to a major study in the UK, in which researchers examined the medical records of almost 900,000 asthma patients across the UK, asthma sufferers are dying needlessly because they are not being prescribed the most suitable inhalers. The study compared levels of asthma control and the need and number of doctor appointments for patients using the different devices. The scientists found that sufferers had far better control of their condition using inhalers they could activate by breathing in, compared with the traditional "press and breathe" devices more commonly prescribed by doctors.

Professor David Price, who led the study, said that there are a wide variety of inhaler devices available for the delivery of medication into the lungs and using the correct inhaler was crucial. He added that outcomes were consistently better in those using the breath-actuated device, with less use of rescue medication for asthma symptoms, fewer courses of steroids and less courses of antibiotics for respiratory infections prescribed to this group.