Praktické lekárnictvo 3/2022

Educating patients suffering from bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the community pharmacy

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) seem to be an increasing health problem. In most cases, inhalation drugs are taken by inhaling. Proper inhalation systems use is very important. Many patients believe that they administer their inhalation drugs properly but unfortunately that´s not true. A big number of patients do not administer their inhalation drugs correctly. The aim of the pharmacist when drugs dispensing is to provide basic information on drugs and their dosage or the proper administration of particular inhalation systems. The main aim of our study was to find out if pharmacists educate patients about administering inhalation drugs properly or if they educate themselves in here. That data was collected by subjective questions subsequently complemented by test questions. In the practical part of the study, anonymous survey questions were used. The survey was conducted between 1st September and 31st December 2021 and only pharmacists were involved. The survey was done only online due to the Covid-19 restrictions. The questionnaire consisted of 6 socio-demographical questions and other 24 questions which were focused on the pharmacists´ knowledge and qualifications to administer inhalation drugs properly. There were 101 respondents from all over Slovakia in the survey. It shows that pharmacists encounter inhalation drugs dispensing for the therapy of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a few times a week. Only 19 of the respondents did a training course in this field. Good news is that the pharmacists would like to get information booklets and models which would be used to demonstrate how to administer particular inhalation systems properly to patients.

Keywords: bronchial asthma, COPD, ACOS, inhalation therapy, community pharmacist