Awareness of the ozone layer and acceptance of a new CFC-free metered dose inhaler among asthmatic patients.

SETTING

University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the awareness of the ozone layer and the acceptance of the new non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant hydrofluoroalkane 134a salbutamol pressurised metered dose inhaler (MDI) Airomir among asthmatic patients.

DESIGN

A total of 113 consecutive asthmatic patients aged 12 years and above from the out- and in-patient services of the hospital were interviewed using a questionnaire.

RESULTS

Sixty-five per cent of the patients were aware of the existence of the ozone layer, 23% that CFCs play a role in ozone depletion, and only 10% that current MDIs contained CFCs. All the patients felt that pressurised MDIs should be made CFC-free after they had considered the role of CFCs in the destruction of the ozone layer. Eighty-one per cent of 94 patients who preferred the Airomir inhaler over a multi-dose dry powder inhaler for administering bronchodilator medications were willing to switch to the new inhaler once it became available on the market.

CONCLUSION

Awareness of the damaging effect of CFCs on the ozone layer among asthmatic patients would encourage them to change to an ozone-friendly, CFC-free pressurised MDI.