Budesonide/formoterol combination as a maintenance and rescue therapy: physicians' perspectives.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the rationale of clinicians when treating asthmatics with combined budesonide/formoterol in a single inhaler as a maintenance and rescue therapy (BFMRT).


METHODS
A questionnaire was used to investigate, from the perspective of outpatient clinic physicians, why, how, and for whom BFMRT should be prescribed. Participants (N = 274) were employed in medical centers, regional hospitals, district hospitals, and private clinics; the majority of the clinicians were pulmonologists (75.5%).


RESULTS
Most participants (84.9%) prescribed BFMRT primarily because of its convenience; 60.4% prescribed 1 puff (budesonide/formoterol, 160/4.5 microg/puff) twice daily and as needed and 38.5% 2 puffs twice daily and as needed; 70.4% did not insist that patients use budesonide/formoterol as a rescue treatment. There was no agreement on the dose (1 or 2 puffs as needed) or interval (5, 10, or 20 min) required for rescue treatment. Almost half (48.2%) of the physicians reported that they would not prescribe BFMRT because of patients' lack of understanding of the treatment. Further analysis showed that physicians practicing in medical centers, those specializing in chest medicine, and those working in higher socioeconomic regions may appreciate the benefits of BFMRT more than non-pulmonologists, those working in settings other than medical centers, and those employed in lower socioeconomic areas.


CONCLUSIONS
More effort needs to be expended in the education of physicians responsible for asthma management, non-pulmonologists, those working outside of medical centers, and those practicing in rural areas in new treatment concepts to achieve optimal asthma control throughout the country.
Su
Kang-Cheng
KC
Chest Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tsai
Cheng-Chien
CC
Kuo
Lu-Cheng
LC
Kuo
Sow-Hsong
SH
Perng
Diahn-Warng
DW
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D019819:Budesonide; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate