Asthma Education 3 Photo Credit:  - PowerPoint Presentation

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Asthma

Education 3

Photo Credit: 

https://www.aarc.org/nn19-helping-asthma-allergy-patients/

Module 3 Questions

1. Using your rescue inhaler (or puffer) every day is:

Usually a bad idea and can be dangerous

Important to keep your asthma under control

Something everyone with asthma needs to do

Called asthma maintenance

2. Why might someone use a spacer with their inhaler?

A spacer helps make sure the medicine gets down into your lungs where it’s needed.

Spacers helps maintain your asthma

A spacer can make asthma medicine taste better

Spacers help you take bigger breaths

3.Why shouldn’t you use asthma rescue medicines every day?

It is too expensive

Asthma rescue medicines are dangerous

If you use them too often, they may get too powerful

If you use them too often, they may not work as well if you have a bad asthma attack

4.True/False: You only need to treat asthma when you feel bad.

True

False

Medicines,

Maintenance,

  and Rescue

Asthma is not yet curable, but it is treatable. It is a chronic condition. 

There are two main forms of medication to treat asthma, maintenance and rescue.

Maintenance medications are typically taken every day to prevent asthmatic symptoms.

Rescue medications are taken as needed when your symptoms become worse or you experience an asthma flare. If you use them every day, they can lose their effect and not work as well. 

Maintenance Medication

Maintenance Medications

Rescue Medications

Short-acting beta agonists: Relax the smooth muscle around the airways.Anticholinergics: Relax the smooth muscle around the airways and reduce mucus. Not as quick as short-acting beta agonists.

Both types of rescue medications are inhaled and can be used together in a combination quick-relief medication. 

When to Use Rescue Medications

Only use rescue medication when you are experiencing asthma symptoms. Using your rescue medication too frequently can reduce its effectiveness.

If you are having to use rescue medication more than twice a week, your asthma is not well controlled. You should talk to your doctor about altering your asthma treatment.

Inhaler Devices

Most maintenance and rescue medications are inhaled using inhalers. Inhalers allow for the medication to be delivered directly to the lungs.

There are several different types of inhalers and each has a different way of delivering the medication.

The two main types of inhalers are:

Metered Dose Inhalers (MDI)

Dry Powder Inhalers (DPI)

Types of Inhalers 

Metered dose inhalers (MDI)

*use with spacer*

aerosol produced for you - inhale SLOWLY

Dry powder inhalers (DPI)

you create aerosol - inhale FORCEFULLY

Soft mist inhalers (SMI)

Types of Inhalers

Exception – The Breath-Activated MDI

General Categories for Inhaler Types: 

MDIs (HFAs) are push-activated 

DPIs (powders) are breath-activated

EXCEPT FOR QVAR

Redihaler

which is a breath-activated MDI

Advantage: no need for hand-breath coordination or spacer

Disadvantage: need to be able to generate sufficient peak inspiratory flow to activate device 

Great for older patients who can inspire fast and hard enough to activate the device & they do not need to carry a spacer 

Problematic for younger children who cannot inspire fast and hard enough to activate the device (typically kids need to be at least 6 years old, however, the FDA has inappropriately approved down to 4 years of age) 

Metered Dose Inhalers

Metered dose inhalers are the most common form of inhaler used.

MDIs are push activated. They produce an aerosol that you SLOWLY inhale.MDIs require hand-breath coordination and can be more difficult for children to use. A spacer should be added to remove the hand-breath coordination element. Spacers also help increase the amount of medication that is delivered to the lower airways.

Photo credit: https://www.aksharpediatrics.care/illnesses-symptoms/asthma-attack/

Using a MDI with a spacer

www.cdc.gov/asthma

Dry Powder Inhalers

Dry powder inhalers are breath activated.

DPIs require you to create the aerosol. In order to do this you will need to be able to forcefully inhale and hold your breath for 10 seconds.DPIs do not require hand-breath coordination or a spacer.DPIs are not effective if your inhalation is not strong enough and can be more difficult for young children to use.

Using a DPI

American Academy of Pediatrics

Nebulizers

Photo credit: https://asthma.net/living/long-wait-inhaler-puffs/

Using a Nebulizer

Nationwide

Childrens

Module 3 Questions

(re-visited)

1. Why shouldn’t you use asthma rescue medicines every day?

If you use them too often, they may get too powerful

It is too expensive

If you use them too often, they may not work as well if you have a bad asthma attack

Asthma rescue medicines are dangerous

2.True/False: You only need to treat asthma when you feel bad.

True

False

3. Using your rescue inhaler (or puffer) every day is:

Something everyone with asthma needs to do

Usually a bad idea and can be dangerous

Called asthma maintenance

Important to keep your asthma under control

4. Why might someone use a spacer with their inhaler?

Spacers helps maintain your asthma

A spacer helps make sure the medicine gets down into your lungs where it’s needed.

Spacers help you take bigger breaths

A spacer can make asthma medicine taste better