title: Self-treatment for asthma.
abstract: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap in older people so asthma is underdiagnosed. Both cause airflow obstruction but asthma responds to bronchodilators while COPD is not fully reversible. Asthma is best treated by inhaled drugs but many older people have poor inhaler technique because of impaired cognition, decreased manual dexterity, decreased inspiratory flow or decreased press and breath co-ordination.