Effects of instruction by practice assistants on inhaler technique and respiratory symptoms of patients. A controlled randomized videotaped intervention study.

BACKGROUND

Many patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease use their medication inhalers incorrectly. General practitioners, pharmacists and other health care providers do not always have the opportunity to instruct patients in correct inhaler technique.

OBJECTIVE

To find out whether the inhaler technique and respiratory symptoms of patients can be improved after instruction by practice assistants.

METHODS

Single blind, randomized intervention study in which 48 patients who had been using a dry powder inhaler for at least one month took part. Their inhaler technique was videotaped on two visits with a two-week interval between visits. The inhaler technique on the videos was subsequently scored by two experts on nine criteria. At both visits the patients completed a questionnaire about their respiratory symptoms. After the first video, 25 patients were randomly chosen to receive instruction from one of six practice assistants who had followed a one evening course about inhaler instruction, and who had been issued an instruction-set.

RESULTS

The patients who received instruction had a significantly greater reduction in number of mistakes at the second visit than the patients who did not (P = 0.01). The instructed patients also reported less dyspnoea at the second visit (P = 0.03). No effect of instruction was found on wheezing, cough and sputum production.

CONCLUSION

The inhaler technique of patients can be improved significantly by the instruction of patients by trained practice assistants, possibly resulting in less dyspnoea.