Educational Intervention for Managing Inhalers in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients

One of the key aspects for treating COPD is therapy with inhalation devices. Regarding the correct use of these devices, the international evidence showing that inhalers are not properly used, and in Spain, to the point that the inhaled therapy will fail if it is not accompanied by health education.

More recent studies touch upon the importance of nurses, physicians and other medical staff teaching the correct use of the inhaler. Apart from education, other factors play an important role when it comes to using the inhaler correctly: sex, age, level of education, polymedicated patients who use several kinds of devices, patients who are not aware of their disease and, finally, what is called therapeutic non-fulfillment.

The first report of the effectiveness of a self care programme aimed at the acquisition of self care abilities and behavior change was by Worth. Unfortunately this pilot study was not controlled and only studied a small sample of patients with COPD. There were impressive reductions in the frequency of irritations and house visits by the GP, but no changes in pulmonary function were found.

Several clinical trials have been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of education programmes and self care in COPD. In the Cochrane revision (up-date 2007), no conclusions could be drawn about the effectiveness of self-control due to the great diversity of variables measured in the few studies published. Based on the antecedents presented, it is evident that COPD is a disease which is difficult to control in daily clinical practice, and that this inadequate control has a significant impact not only on the health of the patient who has this disease, but also on society and the economy.

To improve the control of COPD, the Primary Care physician needs simple and fast intervention to allow him or her to objectively improve the level of control of the disease that these patients have. The objective of self care is to teach patients the necessary aptitudes to carry out specific medical regimes for the treatment of COPD, to guide patients in how to have healthy habits and to lend emotional support to patients to help control their disease

The inclusion criteria: A patient diagnosed with COPD undergoing chronic treatment with at least one inhaler in the last year. The criteria of having been prescribed at least 10 prescriptions for an inhaler in the year will be used. Age between 40 to 75 years.

And exclusion criteria: Asthma diagnosis, Serious or terminal illnesses, Limiting osteoarticular disease, Walking disability, Serious mental illnesses: Psychosis, Major depressive disorder, Neurosis, Addictions to drugs/alcohol, Displaced patients (not habitual residents), Pregnancy.