Knowledge and Practice of Metered-Dose Inhalers (MDIs) Among Asthmatic Patient in Al-Shaab Hospital In Khartoum 2018

Abstract

Heber Ahmed Omer Mohamed, Mohammed Hammad Jaber, Abrar Nader Aljaili Mohamed Hussein, Asia Abd Elnasir Mohamed Hessin, Mahmoud Mahamed Abd Allah Mohamed and Cathrine Victor Gabra

Inhalation therapy has proven to be the best way to control asthma, currently metered-dose inhaler (MDI) is widely prescribed, but many patients with asthma use their inhaler device incorrectly. While the MDI play an important role in asthma control, yet the incorrect inhalation technique lead to deterioration of asthma and other unnecessary sequences. There are many variables related to the incorrect inhaler technique, knowing these factors help to correct the patient’s inhaler technique and affect directly toward asthma control. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of metered-dose inhaler among asthmatic patients in Al-Shaab Hospital in Khartoum-sudan.

This is observational descriptive cross-sectional study. Data has been collected from 70 asthmatics patients using a questionnaire filled by the researcher and an inhaler specific check-list for the observation of patient’s inhaler technique. This study results contain 26 (37.1&) male and 44 (62.6%) female, 57.1% of patient’s performed poor inhaler technique, and inhaler technique was not significantly related to asthma severity (p=0.158). The mild grade of asthma severity was the dominant by 52.9% of patients. Most patients didn’t have other diseases (50%) and the most common other disease was sinusitis (18.6%). Most of patients (38.6%) don’t use other medications beside the Ventolin® (Salbutamol) inhaler, but 24.3% of those who use other medication use Symbicort® (budesonide/ formetrol) or other inhalers. The majority of patients 37.1% and 34.3% had their asthma diagnosed since more than 10 years and had been using MDI since more than 10 years respectively. For the technique self-evaluation almost half (51.4%) of patients evaluated them self as very good and the rest as good. 88.6% said that they relieve from symptoms after using the inhaler.

Most of patients (55.7%) had their information in how to use the inhaler from respiratory specialist, and almost half of patient’s (51.4%) said that their inhaler technique had been observed by doctor or pharmacist. 52.9% of patients use the inhaler twice or less per week. The correlation between patient’s occupation and inhaler technique was significantly related (p=0.054).

Most of patients had good knowledge about the inhaler. However, the majority use their inhaler incorrectly, and the only factor that effect on inhaler technique with significant correlation was found to be the occupation. And we still recommend on ensuring the patient’s inhaler technique at each visit, despite the asthma severity.

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