Assessment of inhaler techniques on the control of asthma and COPD in outpatients

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are prevalent diseases in Brazil. The control of the patients is performed with inhalational devices, whose usage presents serious obstacles. This factor negatively affects the control of the disease and increases the costs for the health system. An improvement in the sustainability of the treatment is fundamental. Currently, there is no data available for the inhalational devices technique in Belo Horizonte, which motivates this work. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of errors in the technique of inhalational devices use in patients followed due to asthma or COPD in the Ambulatório Ciências Médicas (ACM). METHODS: Experimental cross-sectional study that evaluated 95 patients undergoing medical supervision at ACM with diagnosis of asthma or COPD, in use of one or more inhalation devices. RESULTS: The prevalence of errors observed in the ACM was 98.7% in the Pressurized DI (IPre) and 88.8% in the DP type (IPo); with overall prevalence of errors of 94.9%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of errors in the usage of inhalational devices in ACM is similar to that suggested in other studies, and it is important to periodically reassess, since these errors can be corrected easily. In addition, the importance of demonstration by the prescriber at the time of the first prescription is emphasized.