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Patienteducationisthekeytothemanagementofunstableasthma

Abstract:
Background: Aerosol therapy play a significant role in management of asthma, but significant
deficiencies exist in the awareness, knowledge and skills of patient regarding use of metered-dose
inhalers (MDI).
Objective: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the influence of patient education and training
on patients unstable asthma.
Material &Methods: Patient-directed instruction sheets on aerosol therapy were developed on the basis
of literature review and experts guidelines. The study was carried out in outpatient dept. of children
hospital, Lahore and Data Durbar hospital, Lahore. During this session OPD patients (pediatrics &adults)
were educated about the disease, medications and precautions to take to minimize the triggering factors,
& physical demonstration of correct inhaler technique along with the printed record of correct inhalation
steps, taking only a few minutes and repeated twice. The outcomes were accessed by education based
questionnaires & correction of no. of steps in a correct inhaler technique.
Results and Discussion: 90% of the patients were significantly improved their knowledge, attitude,
practice, inhaler usage technique, and medication adherence behavior and treatment outcomes.
Conclusions: Patient education showed a positive influence on patients knowledge, attitude, practice,
inhaler usage techniques (co-ordination between actuation and inhalation), and medication adherence
behavior and treatment outcomes (controlled asthma).


Introduction: Asthmaisachronicinflammatoryairwaydisease,andinhaledmedicationispreferred
foritstreatment.Theformsofasthmacontrolandsymptomreliefmostfrequentlyprescribedtoasthma
patientsispressurizedmetereddoseinhalerswithspacerdevices.MDIrequirespatienttoconductthe
multistepprocedure,whichmostofthepatientsfailtodo(1,2)


The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLB) guideline for the diagnosis and management of
asthma advocates that patient education is an essential part in asthma management.(5, 6)












References:
1. van Beerendonk I, Mesters I, Mudde AN, Tan TD. Assessment of the inhalation technique in
outpatients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using a metered-dose inhaler
or dry powder device. J Asthma. 1998;35:273279.
2. Campos A, Daz MA, Muoz MP, Liana J J , Martnez M, Lanuza MD. Assessment of the
inhalation technique in asthmatic patients: a comparative study of three aerosol devices. Allergol
Immunopathol (Madr) 1998;26:4751.
5. L.Y.Yong, W.A. Kradjan, Asthma. In: M.A. Kodakimble,
B. J oseph Gugliemo, B.K. Aldridge,
Robin Correlli, Timothy H Self. Asthma. Applied
therapeutics the clinical Use of Drugs. Eighth
edition. Published by Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins 2005: 23-1-23-27.
6. Iman A Basheti et al. Counseling about Turbuhaler
technique: Needs assessment and effective
strategies for community pharmacists. Respiratory
care 2005; 50(5): 617-623.

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