Mark Levy, FRCGP: Teaching Asthma Patients Better Inhaler Techniques

Improper inhaler use is something that impacts asthma patients of all ages, from pediatric patients to geriatric patients.

This is a problem that often can lead to patients receiving improper dosing of their much needed asthma medication. Ultimately, over the long haul, the incorrect usage increases the risk of negative outcomes, including hospitalization and premature death.

One of the many reasons for the epidemic of incorrect inhaler use is because there are some many different types of inhalers on the market, making a widespread education campaign difficult.

In an interview with HCPLive®, Mark L. Levy, FRCGP, a general practitioner and asthma expert based in the UK, said there are currently over 100 different types of inhalers on the market in Europe, making uniformity virtually impossible.

However, Levy was part of a research team that presented new data on a digital inhaler in a poster presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2020 (ERS 2020).

The inhaler reads whether or not the user is getting the predesignated dosage of treatment, which could reduce asthma-related hospitalizations.

Levy explained how leveraging this technology will could make a big impact on asthma treatment throughout the world.