Pharmacists and other health professionals now have further key resources to help them implement the latest national guidelines from the National Asthma Council Australia’s updated Australian Asthma Handbook.
The National Asthma Council today released an updated Quick Reference Guide (QRG), as well as a comprehensive information paper on new inhaler technique for people with asthma or COPD.
The 20-page QRG provides a summary of key recommendations and information on asthma in adults and adolescents from the National Asthma Council’s Australian Asthma Handbook.
Clinical Associate Professor Debbie Rigby, Clinical Executive Lead at the National Asthma Council, said that with the evolving complexity of asthma guidelines and treatment regimens, it was important to update the QRG resource for primary care health professionals.
“The updated National Asthma Council Australian Asthma Handbook contains significant changes to both the diagnosis and management of asthma.
“The QRG provides a concise summary and visuals on the step-by-step control-based approach to asthma management in adults and adolescents. The quick reference tables detail the options and dosing regimens for anti-inflammatory reliever therapy (AIR-only) and maintenance-and-reliever therapy (MART).
“The message from the NAC is clear — the recommendation is to avoid SABA-only treatment and shift towards inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)-containing therapy for all adults and adolescents,” she said.
The QRG is available as a downloadable document that can be saved to the desktop or printed for quick reference.
Clinical Associate Professor Rigby said the new information paper on the new inhaler technique for people with asthma or COPD is another vital resource for busy pharmacists.
“There are a number of new inhalers available, so it’s important to have complete information in one resource.
“It is concerning that most patients with asthma or COPD do not use their inhalers properly, and most have not had their technique checked or corrected by a health professional.
“Inspiratory flow rate is one of the most important steps in inhaler technique and one most often incorrect.
“Pharmacists should apply the advisory labels to inhalers when dispensing – ‘Quick and deep’ for dry powder inhaler (DPIs) and ‘Slow and steady’ for pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDIs) and soft mist inhalers (SMIs),” she said.
Clinical Associate Professor Rigby said the most effective way to encourage patients with asthma to practise inhaler technique is to combine repeated demonstration, patient ‘teach-back’ and reinforcement linked to personal benefit.
“Evidence shows that inhaler technique improves most when patients are activated rather than simply instructed once or told to read the instructions.
“The inhaler only works if it reaches the lungs properly, and even small technique changes can make a big difference to asthma control and prevent flare-ups.
“Pharmacists should check inhaler technique at every opportunity, and showing the National Asthma Council how-to videos together with reviewing the detailed checklist in the information paper will enable better inhaler technique for patients,” she said.
Text by: National Asthma Council.
