Misuse of Inhaled Bronchodilator Agents

In the course of doing simple lung-function tests on patients with chronic bronchitis, asthma, or emphysema it became clear that many of those using bronchodilator aerosols were not using them correctly.Since it seemed possible that such patients might not be gaining maximum benefit, and since the recently developed pressurized aerosols are expensive, it was thought reasonable to examine in more detail the use and effect of inhaled bronchodilators in out-patients routinely attending a chest department. ProcedureForty-six subjects were studied.They were a consecutive series of patients who had used sprays for periods varying from twelve years to one month, seen personally in the course of routine out-patient sessions.Each answered a standard questionary, the main purpose of which was to elicit the total amount of bronchodilator used by the patients and its subjective effect.Dyspnoea was graded by the same questions as those used in the M.R.C.