Common errors in inhalation therapy: Impact and solutions

Inhalation therapy is one of the key pillars in the treatment of chronic obstructive diseases, such as asthma and COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); however, wide number of errors occur with high frequency in the inhalation manoeuvres among these patient. This review discuss the main errors made with inhalation devices, factors associated with poor IT (inhalation technique), their consequences and possible solutions.

To do this, we performed a search of any publications available in PubMed between the years 2000 and 2019, using the key words: asthma, COPD, obstructive lung disease, inhalers, misuse and errors.

After a review of the titles and abstracts by the working group, the articles chosen were considered the most relevant in providing evidence of the problems and establishing solutions in the inhalation treatment of asthma and COPD.

There are several publications that associated the errors in the inhalation technique with a poor prognosis both of asthma and COPD. Most authors generally agree in that a poor IT is associated with poor control of the symptoms.

It is essential to review the IT in all our patients with asthma and COPD due to the high socio-economic impact that it involves; an effort must be made to homogenise the evaluation of IT, so that it helps to transmit a clear message to the patients, as well as to the health professionals on what is and what is not a correct manoeuvre.