Loss of bronchodilator medication in priming a conventional metered dose inhaler: a cost of treating asthma.
The direct and indirect costs of lost medication resulting from the required "test dose" to reestablish the prime of active drug in the conventional metered-dose inhaler (MDI) valve and the uncertainties associated with "tail-off" increase the cost of using a conventional chlorofluorocarbon driven MDI to deliver aerosolized bronchodilator in the management of asthma. In this article, the author establishes a basis for estimating the cost of wasted medication.
Ross
R N
RN
Medical/Science Analytics, Brookline, MA, USA.
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D017402:Chlorofluorocarbons; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016527:Drug Costs; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000191:economics*; D012646:Self Administration / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency