Inhalation devices use by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Utilización de los dispositivos de inhalación por pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica

Objective: to know how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) use inhalators and to analyze most frequent errors. Methods: Crossectional descriptive study at Complejo Hospitalario San Millán-San Pedro. Two tests were done. The first one assessed theoretical knowledge on medication and inhalation technique, and inhalation devices. The second one assessed practical knowledge on inhalation technique for different devices, following Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thorax surgery recommendations. Technique was considered as incorrect if patient failed in any step. Results: 65 patients with COPD were recruited. On practical test, just 5 patients (7.7%) followed properly the inhalation technique. Errors, in order of frequency, were: not holding air after inhaling (apnoea), not move the device for a second inhalation (in pressurized devices), not exhaling air before inhalation, not moving the device for the first inhalation (in pressurized devices), not synchronizing device activation with air entrance, not energy inhaling air in powder devices. Conclusions: Most of the patients produced some error in the use of inhalator devices. So, it is necessary to provide patients with information and instructions about inhalation devices use.