Pharmacists Role in Improving Asthma Control rates

Rates of asthma are rising steadily, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.  In 2014-15, 10.8% of Australians (2.5 million people) had asthma, up from 9.9% in 2007-08.  According to the Global Asthma Report in 2014, Australia is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of asthma in the world, along with Northern and Western Europe and Brazil.

And despite medical advances, the disease is not necessarily well-controlled throughout the population. A 2012 survey published in the Medical Journal of Australia found that while asthma was considered “well controlled” for 54% of participants, it was “not well controlled” for 23% and “very poorly controlled” for a further 23%.

Pharmacists are able to play a role in improving control rates among patients.

For example, a 2013 study co-authored by UTS Dean of Pharmacy, Professor Charlie Benrimoj, showed community pharmacist intervention can increase and improve asthma control in patients compared to usual care.

The trial found that in the pharmacist intervention group, the proportion of patients with controlled asthma significantly increased from baseline (28%) to the intermediate visit (43%), and from the intermediate visit to the final visit (58%). At the end of the study, asthma was controlled in significantly more patients in the intervention group than in the control group, the researchers concluded.

One way pharmacists can intervene is to proactively check patients’ inhaler technique, reminds the National Asthma Council Australia.  Research shows that 75% of participants using an inhaler for two to three years thought they were using their inhaler correctly, but objective analysis revealed only 10% had the correct technique, said the council.

“Many health professionals don’t realise how common poor technique is, nor how big an impact this can have on asthma and COPD management,” says National Asthma Council Australia asthma and respiratory educator, Judi Wicking.  “The good news is that correcting patients’ inhaler technique has been shown to improve lung function, quality of life and asthma control,” says Wicking.

For more information, the council has recently released its latest handbook, which outlines the national guidelines for asthma management. Click here to view.

Source:ajp.com.au/news/ageing-population-air-pollution-lift-asthma-meds-uptake/?utm_source=AJP+Daily&utm_campaign=290da57847-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_06_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cce9c58212-290da57847-109985429,viewed 9 June 2017