Praktické lekárnictvo 3/2018
Proper administration of inhaled medications from the community pharmacist´s point of view – part II.
Both asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease have not only similar clinical symptoms and the occurrence of exacerbations, but also the same preference of administering medications through inhalation. This is recommended according to worldwide documents on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease, which have been published under the patronage of WHO (World Health Organisation) by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), or rather the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Manipulation with inhaler devices may cause various difficulties and poor inhalation technique. For proper inhalation technique, it is significant to repeat effective re-education and re-training of proper inhalation technique for patients and their relatives. Each doctor who prescribes inhaler devices, as well as each pharmacist expending inhaler devices, or rather inhaled medications dispenses, should be able to demonstrate proper technique using a placebo device. The second part of the article deals with issues of administering inhaled medications via aerosol inhalers and nebulizers.
Keywords: inhaler devices, aerosol inhalers, nebulizers, proper inhalation technique, community pharmacist
