title: Inhaler devices and the elderly.
abstract: This study compared the relative ease of use of the metered dose inhaler, the FO2 Inhalator and the Diskhaler by elderly subjects in a randomised cross over trial using placebo inhalants. Thirty-one nonasthmatic volunteers (average age 79.6 years) who lived independently in two residential homes for the elderly were recruited. One failed to complete the study. Subjects were taught to use the three inhaler devices in a randomly assigned sequence with a two week period elapsing between each training session. The Diskhaler device took longest to learn (16.5 minutes) and the Inhalator was significantly easier to learn to use than the other two (x2 = 40.3, p = 0.001). The Inhalator was preferred by 64%, metered dose inhaler by 25% and Diskhaler by 11% (p = 0.03). Problems in the use of each are described. The study found that the Inhalator was simple to use and was reliably self administered by older people. The metered dose inhaler was simple to use only for a minority who could accurately coordinate actuation and inhalation. The Diskhaler had no advantages in this age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Auckland School of Medicine.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Baskett
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Richmond
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011897:Random Allocation; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors