Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 4, 2010
Effect of a minimal pharmacy intervention on improvement of adherence to asthma guidelines
Tjalling W de Vries1, Paul B van den Berg, Eric J Duiverman
1Department of Paediatrics, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, PO Box 888, 8901 BR Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. tjalling.de.vries@znb.nl
Insights
Pharmacist intervention improved adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines. This minimal strategy, involving discussions with general practitioners, led to better medication use in children with asthma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Evidence-Based Medicine
- Community Pharmacy Practice
Background:
- Asthma management in children requires adherence to established clinical guidelines.
- Suboptimal adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines can lead to poor disease control and increased healthcare utilization.
- Community pharmacists are well-positioned to support guideline adherence through collaboration with general practitioners.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a minimal intervention strategy involving community pharmacists in improving adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines.
- To assess the impact of pharmacist-led discussions on prescribing patterns for children with asthma.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study design was employed, involving an intervention group (pharmacies collaborating with general practitioners) and a reference group (non-participating pharmacies).
- Adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines was assessed by analyzing prescription data for children with asthma.
- Key outcome measures included the proportion of children without short-acting beta-mimetic use, those without inhaled corticosteroids despite long-acting beta-mimetic use, and those prescribed more than one inhaler type.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed a significantly lower number of children without short-acting beta-mimetic prescriptions (p<0.01).
- Fewer children in the intervention group were prescribed long-acting beta-mimetic without inhaled corticosteroids (p=0.03).
- While the rate of using more than one inhaler type was similar between groups, it was significantly lower compared to a previous study (p<0.01).
Conclusions:
- Community pharmacist involvement in discussing paediatric asthma care elements with general practitioners is beneficial for guideline adherence.
- Active engagement of pharmacists in paediatric asthma care can lead to improved prescribing practices and potentially better patient outcomes.
- This study highlights the value of minimal pharmacist interventions in optimizing the management of childhood asthma.
Objective:
To study the effectiveness of a minimal intervention strategy to improve adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines.
Design And Setting:
A group of pharmacists was encouraged to discuss essential elements of asthma care with the general practitioners they normally worked with. Adherence to guidelines was evaluated by studying prescriptions for children with asthma. We compared the treatment of children registered at pharmacies which participated in the study (intervention group) with a control group of children registered at other, non-participating pharmacies (reference group) and with the results of an earlier study.
Main Outcome Measures:
The numbers of children who had no short-acting betamimetics, no inhaled corticosteroids while on long-acting betamimetics, and more than one type of inhaler.
Results:
The number of children who had no short-acting betamimetics was significantly lower in the intervention group (176/1447 vs 534/3527; p<0.01) and fewer children had no inhaled corticosteroid although on long-acting betamimetics (6/219 vs 41/477; p=0.03). The number of children who had more than one type of inhaler was equal in both groups (5.1%), but this was significantly lower compared with the earlier study (119/2311 vs 239/3217; p<0.01).
Conclusions:
The assistance of pharmacists with adherence to paediatric asthma guidelines is beneficial. Pharmacists should be involved actively in the care of children with asthma.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Mast Cell Stabilizers and Anti-IgE Drugs
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:17Drugs Used in Lower Respiratory Disorders: Overview
Bronchodilators, the first step of respiration enhancement, come in various forms, each with its own mechanism...
01:23Inhaled Medications
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: β2-Adrenoceptor Agonists
One class of bronchodilators includes β2-adrenoceptor agonists. These agents target the β2-adrenoceptors located on bronchial smooth muscle cells. By stimulating these receptors, β2-agonists induce relaxation in these...