HOW DOES HAVING DEVICE CONSISTENCY WITH EASYHALER®
HELP ME AND MY PATIENTS?
WHAT IF MY PATIENTS NEED A SABA DUE TO AN EXACERBATION,
DON'T THEY NEED A pMDI?
SOME pMDIs ARE LESS EXPENSIVE AND ARE JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS A DPI.
WHAT CAN COMBINATION EASYHALERS DO FOR MY PATIENTS?
JUST HOW "EASY" IS EASYHALER TO USE?
DOES EASYHALER HAVE HIGH RESISTANCE?
HOW DOES HAVING DEVICE CONSISTENCY WITH EASYHALER HELP ME AND MY PATIENTS?
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WHAT IF MY PATIENTS NEED A SABA DUE TO AN EXACERBATION, DON'T THEY NEED A pMDI?
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Easyhaler Salbutamol (salbutamol sulfate) is suitable for the symptomatic treatment of asthma attacks and exacerbations of asthma in adults and children aged 4 years and over2,3 |
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Patients already using Easyhaler for their maintenance therapy may find the same, familiar device simpler to use if they have an exacerbation and require a SABA, compared with using a device that requires a different technique |
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Even at a low inspiratory flow rate of 30 L/min, Easyhaler Salbutamol produces comparable improvements in pulmonary function to a properly used pMDI + spacer4 |
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SOME pMDIs ARE CHEAPER AND ARE JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS A DPI. WHY SHOULD I SWITCH TO A DPI SUCH AS EASYHALER?
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pMDIs, due to their use of propellant gases, have more than 10 times the carbon footprint of DPIs5 |
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The high proportion of pMDI use in the UK (70%) contributes an estimated 3.5% of the overall NHS carbon footprint. In contrast, only 10-30% of inhalers prescribed in Scandinavia are pMDIs6 |
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The BTS/SIGN asthma guideline update in 2019 noted how pMDIs have a high carbon footprint due to the propellants they use. BTS recommends that the DPI class of inhalers should be prioritised where clincally appropriate7 |
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An independent review describes Easyhaler Salbutamol as "environmentally friendly, efficient and easy to use”8 |
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WHAT CAN COMBINATION EASYHALERS DO FOR MY PATIENTS?
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Fobumix Easyhaler (budesonide/ formoterol fumarate dihydrate) is a combination inhaler that comes in three different dose combinations of ICS + LABA9-11 |
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Lower dose Fobumix Easyhalers (80/4.5 and 160/4.5) are indicated for maintenance and reliever asthma therapy9,10. A MART regime should only be used with adult patients over the aged of 18. For most patients, in this instance you will only need to prescribe one inhaler. |
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Real-world studies demonstrate a marked reduction in the use of reliever therapy and a significant improvement in quality of life when using Fobumix Easyhaler compared with other inhalers, including both DPIs and pMDIs12,13 |
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JUST HOW "EASY" IS EASYHALER TO USE?
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A real world study has shown that it takes most patients less than 5 minutes to master the technique of using Easyhaler12 |
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90% of clinicians described Easyhaler as easy to teach12 |
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Once a patient is trained on Easyhaler, device consistency across the asthma treatment pathway means that you do not need to train a patient on a new device should you need to prescribe alternative medications to control their asthma |
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In a study of 1008 patients, 98% rated Easyhaler VERY EASY or EASY to learn to use14 |
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Unlike with pMDIs: when using Easyhaler the patient does NOT have to worry about synchronising the click with their inspiration8 |
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DOES EASYHALER HAVE HIGH RESISTANCE?
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There are a wide range of low- medium- and high-resistance DPIs, and Easyhalers fall into the medium-high to high- resistance group15 |
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A common misconception is that high-resistance DPIs require a considerable inspiratory effort.16, 17 In fact, low inspiratory flow through a high-resistance DPI generates the same turbulent energy required for effective use as fast flow through a low-resistance DPI8,16 |
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High resistance inhalers have the added advantage of favouring drug deposition in the lung compared to lower resistance DPIs8,17 |
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Compared with some DPIs with low resistance, Easyhaler performance is less dependent on the patients inspiratory flow rate18 |
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Easyhaler delivers a consistent dose even at low flow rates4,19 |
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For more information on internal resistance click here |
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BTS/SIGN: British Thoracic Society/ Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network; DPI: dry powder inhaler; ICS: inhaled corticosteroids; LABA: long-acting beta2 agonist; pMDI: metered dose inhaler; SABA: short-acting beta2 agonist.
References:
- SIGN 158. British guideline on the management of asthma. Available at: www.sign.ac.uk. Accessed January 2021
- Easyhaler® Salbutamol 100 mcg Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk. Accessed January 2021
- Easyhaler® Salbutamol 200 mcg Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk. Accessed January 2021
- 4. Koskela T, Malmstrom K et al. Efficacy of salbutamol via Easyhaler® unaffected by low inspiratory flow. Respir Med 2000;94(12):1229-1233
- Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 2018 Assessment Report. Available at: ozone.unep.org/treaties/montreal-protocol Accessed January 2021
- Lavorini F, Corrigan C J et al. Retail sales of inhalation devices in European countries: so much for a global policy. Respir Med 2011;105(7):1099-1103
- British Thoracic Society, 2020. Environment and Lung Health Position Statement 2020. Available at: www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/document-library/governance-and-policy-documents/position-statements/environment-and-lung-health-position-statement-2020/. Accessed January 2021
- Chandel A, Goyal A K et al. Recent advances in aerosolised drug delivery. Biomed Pharmacother 2019;112:108601
- Fobumix Easyhaler® 80/4.5 inhalation powder Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk. Accessed January 2021
- Fobumix Easyhaler® 160/4.5 inhalation powder Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk. Accessed January 2021
- Fobumix Easyhaler® 320 micrograms/ 9 micrograms inhalation powder Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: www.medicines.org.uk. Accessed November 2020
- Tamasi L, Szilasi M, Galffy G. Clinical effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol fumarate Easyhaler® for patients with poorly controlled obstructive airway disease: a real-world study of patient-reported outcomes. Adv Ther 2018;35(8):1140-1152
- Gálffy G, Szilasi M, Tamási L. Effectiveness and patient satisfaction with budesonide/formoterol Easyhaler® among patients with asthma or COPD switching from previous treatment: a real-world study of patient-reported outcomes. Pulm Ther 2019.
- Galffy G, Mezei G et al. Inhaler competence and patient satisfaction with Easyhaler®: results of two real-life multicentre studies in asthma and COPD. Drugs R D 2013;13(3):215-222
- Dal Negro R W. Dry powder inhalers and the right things to remember: a concept review. Multidiscip Respir Med 2015;10(1):13
- Azouz W, Chrystyn H. Clarifying the dilemmas about inhalation techniques for dry powder inhalers: integrating science with clinical practice. Prim Care Respir J 2012;21(2):208-213
- Hoppentocht M, Hagedoorn P et al. Technological and practical challenges of dry powder inhalers and formulations. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2014;75:18-31
- Palander A, Mattila T et al. In vitro comparison of three salbutamol-containing multidose dry powder inhalers. Clin Drug Investig 2000;25(1):25-33
- Haikarainen J, Rytila P et al. Dose uniformity of budesonide Easyhaler® under simulated real-life conditions and with low inspiration flow rates. Chron Respir Dis 2018;15(3):265-271
