• Carlos Leonardo Carvalho Pessôa, Maria Julia da Silva Mattos, Artur Renato Moura Alho, Marianna Martini Fischmann, Ana Carolina Castro Côrtes, Flávio de Oliveira Mendes, Bruno Mendes Haerdy, and Sandra Mara Silva Brignol.
• MD, MSc, PhD. Adjunct Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói (RJ), Brazil.
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2018 Jul 1; 136 (4): 298303298-303.

Context And ObjectiveTreatment of asthma implies inhalation of specific drugs to reach high concentrations in the respiratory tree and ensure low drug bioavailability and few adverse effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the inhalation technique among outpatients with asthma.Design And SettingTertiary-care hospital-based cross-sectional study in Rio de Janeiro.MethodsWe evaluated inhalation practices in a convenience sample. A questionnaire was used to investigate sociodemographic data and assess disease control level, duration of use of the inhalation device, length of treatment and previous instructions provided by the prescribing physician. Patients demonstrated their inhalation technique using empty devices, and their technique was considered correct when all steps were appropriately performed or when errors did not interfere with the treatment outcome.ResultsAmong the 71 participants, 53 (74.7%) had been using the same inhaler device for at least two years and 41 (57.8%) had been under treatment for two years or more. Twelve (17.1%) said that they had been taught once and 57 (81.4%) at least twice, while one (1.4%) reported not having received any guidance regarding use of inhaler devices. Eighteen patients (25.3%) presented controlled asthma and 28 (39.5%) performed the inhalation technique correctly. Incorrect technique was associated with fewer evaluations of the inhalation technique (P =0.04) and uncontrolled asthma (P = 0.01).ConclusionsLess than half of the sample performed the inhalation technique correctly. Incorrect inhalation technique was related to lower number of evaluations of the use of the inhalation device and uncontrolled asthma.

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