Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways characterized by airway inflammation, increased responsiveness to a variety of stimuli, and airway obstruction that reverses spontaneously or as a result of appropriate therapy. Symptoms of asthma include cough, wheeze, tightness of the chest, shortness of breath, and increased sputum production.
Drugs: Terbutaline, Salbutamol, Albutarol, Atropin
sulfate, Hydrocortisone.
Patient Counseling for Asthma
• Educate patients about the role of each medication: Pharmacists can educate patients about the two broad categories of asthma medications. Medications are used to prevent and/or decrease the frequency of symptoms and medications taken to relieve asthma symptoms.
• Instruct patient about the proper techniques
for inhaling medications: instruct patients on how to use a Metered-Dose
Inhaler (MDI), other devices, such as; dry powder inhalers, breath-actuated
inhalers, and nebulizers are also available and they require different
techniques for administration.
• Monitor medication use and refill intervals to
help identify patients with poorly controlled asthma.
• Encourage patients purchasing OTC asthma
inhalers or tablets to seek medical care.
• Advice patients about the trigger factors of
asthma (smoke, dust, animal dander, cold items).
• Ask him whether he knows which kind of food
causes asthma (seafood, high fat, fiber-containing food), if not provide the necessary
information.
• Warn him to keep the house clean and dust
free.
• Ask him:
- Are you washing clothes and pillows regularly?
- Do you have any other co-morbid diseases (COPD, HTN, and DM)?
- Are you visiting a physician for regular checkups?
- Are you using medicines regularly?
- Do you know the importance of medication adherence to control asthma?
- Do you know the complication of missing a dose?
- Do you have any difficulty using inhalers?
- Are you following the precautions given by the physician?
- Are you doing regular exercise to reduce asthma attacks (yoga, meditation)?
- Are you drinking warm water daily before sleep?
- Do you know the benefits of lifestyle modifications?
• End up the conversation with: Was the patient
counseling provided by the clinical pharmacist helpful to improve your quality
of life?