The National Asthma Council Australia has published an update to its popular Inhaler technique for people with asthma or COPD  guide to incorporate new medicines and devices that have come to market in the last two years.

“It’s really hard for health professionals to keep track of all the inhalers, especially as new medicines and devices continue to become available,” said National Asthma Council Australia Asthma and Respiratory Educator and nurse, Ms Judi Wicking.

“And many health professionals don’t realise how common poor technique is, nor how big an impact this can have on asthma and COPD management. The good news is that correcting patients’ inhaler technique has been shown to improve lung function, quality of life and asthma control.”

“The paper reflects the advice in the Australian Asthma Handbook, which recommends that inhaler technique should always be checked before considering dose escalation or add-on therapy,” she said.

Asthma and COPD Medications and Allergic Rhinitis Treatments charts have also been updated to include the latest inhalers and the main intranasal treatment options available in Australia.

To access the resources and charts visit www.nationalasthma.org.au