title: Study of inhaler technique in asthma patients: differences between pediatric and adult patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inhaler technique comprises a set of procedures for drug delivery to the respiratory system. The oral inhalation of medications is the first-line treatment for lung diseases. Using the proper inhaler technique ensures sufficient drug deposition in the distal airways, optimizing therapeutic effects and reducing side effects. The purposes of this study were to assess inhaler technique in pediatric and adult patients with asthma; to determine the most common errors in each group of patients; and to compare the results between the two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Using a ten-step protocol, we assessed inhaler technique in 135 pediatric asthma patients and 128 adult asthma patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common error among the pediatric patients was failing to execute a 10-s breath-hold after inhalation, whereas the most common error among the adult patients was failing to exhale fully before using the inhaler.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric asthma patients appear to perform most of the inhaler technique steps correctly. However, the same does not seem to be true for adult patients.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Kinesiología, Universidad Santo Tomás, Viña del Mar, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manríquez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Acuña
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Viña del Mar, Viña del Mar, Chile.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reyes
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036501:Metered Dose Inhalers; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012646:Self Administration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000420:Albuterol