It is estimated that globally we spend about $30 billion on inhalers annually. Suboptimal inhaler use could cost $5-7 billion each year. Medication inhalers are the foundational therapy for treating and controlling symptoms from COPD and asthma. There is consistent evidence that a high number of patients do not use their inhalers optimally – and that many healthcare professionals do not know the correct technique. The American Lung Association estimates that the number of acute care visits in the US for asthma and COPD could be as high as two million annually. Optimal use of inhaled medication has the possibility of reducing this high frequency of acute care visits. The panelists have expertise in teaching how to use inhalers. We will describe guideline-based teach-to-goal inhaler education recommendations to both assess and teach inhaler technique. We will address how improved inhaler technique can lead to improved adherence to medication regimens. We will also address training the community of educators.
Panelists:
Valerie Press, MD, MPH
- Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Chicago
- Associate Chief Clinical Transformation Officer, Center for Care Transformation, University of Chicago Medicine
- Medical Director, Care Transitions Clinic, Center for Care Transformation, University of Chicago Medicine
Richard Costello, MD FERS FRCPI
- Professor of Respiratory Medicine, RCSI Education & Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital
Helen Reddel, AM, MBBS PhD FRACP
- Research Leader, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research
- Professor, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University
- Adjunct Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney
- Chair, Global Initiative for Asthma Science Committee
- Director, Australian Centre for Airways disease Monitoring (ACAM)
- Visiting Medical Officer, Sydney Local Health District
Moderator/Organizer
Roomi Nusrat, MD, University of Michigan
Chat Facilitator
Tetsuro Maeda, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham
References:
1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/12WMeqpU52/collections/65426728/public/
2) Global Initiative for Asthma, Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, 2025 update. Published 06 May, 2025.