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MILLIONS of Brits with asthma could be risking their lives by not using their inhaler properly, experts have warned.
The UK now has one of the worst death rates from the lung condition in Europe, with fatal attacks jumping 20 per cent in the last five years.
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About one in three asthma sufferers is not taking their medication properly, Asthma UK estimates.
At the mild end of the spectrum this misuse can cause annoying symptoms.
But, at the other end, it can leave people seriously ill in hospital.
Some 1,400 Brits are dying from the incurable condition each year, a number that could be slashed if inhalers are used correctly.
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The UK's death rate from asthma is almost 50 per cent higher than those in Europe.
And one in six people don't know the the condition can be fatal, according to the charity.
Experts blamed a lack of basic NHS care and awareness of the seriousness of the condition.
Two-thirds of patients do not get the treatment they are entitled to including a yearly review, Asthma UK found.
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Dr Andy Whittamore, GP and Asthma UK's clinical lead, told The Sun Online not taking asthma drugs properly could prove fatal.
He warned: "It is extremely important that the 5.4million people with asthma in the UK take their medication properly.
"Otherwise it won't prevent them from having asthma symptoms - or save their life if they have an asthma attack."
It comes as Dr Mark Porter warned in The Times that some months 4,000 kids end up in hospital as a result of their asthma.
Asthma UK has estimated this figure could be slashed in half, if kids with asthma had their conditions managed properly.
People with asthma should always have their reliever inhaler on them and should know how to use it correctly. This can save lives
Dr Andy Whittamore
He said that "better management" spans the doctors and nurses caring for kids with asthma, to parents helping their children use their inhalers and drugs correctly.
Dr Whittamore said most people who are diagnosed with asthma are prescribed two inhalers - a preventer and a reliever.
He explained: "Preventer inhalers - commonly brown - are a long-term treatment that are taken regularly to reduce the sensitivity and inflammation in the airways.
"A reliever inhaler - a blue one - is used to quickly treat the symptoms of asthma and during an asthma attack by relaxing the muscles surrounding the airways.
"People with asthma should always have their reliever inhaler on them and should know how to use it correctly. This can save lives."
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Asthma UK warned about a third of sufferers aren't using their inhalers properly.
So what is the right way?
Dr Whittamore said some people with asthma make the mistake of not getting their medication into their lungs properly.
He warned: "Rather than getting into the lungs, where it's needed to reduce asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and feeling out of breath, the medicine hits the back of their throat or stays in the mouth."
If you don't use your inhaler properly, it's likely you won't get the right dose of medicine.
This can increase the risk of a dangerous asthma attack.
And it can make side effects like oral thrush and a sore throat more likely.
WISE UP What is asthma and what are the signs you could have an asthma attack? All you need to know...
If you're unsure about your inhaler technique, Dr Whittamore said it's important to check with your GP or pharmacist.
He added: "As there are different inhalers which need to be taken in different ways, people with asthma should check they can use them correctly with their GP, asthma nurse at their annual review or with their pharmacist."
The warnings come after all asthma sufferers were urged to check their inhaler after three faulty batches were recalled by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, two weeks ago.
COMMON MISTAKES YOU COULD BE MAKING
Inhalers come in lots of different colours.
Typically blue is for a reliever - the one you need in the event of an attack or onset of symptoms, while brown or orange ones are known as preventer inhalers.
But, when it comes to using your inhaler, Asthma UK has identified a number of common mistakes people tend to make.
1. Not breathing out first
It's important to always breathe out fully before using your inhaler.
When you do so, you create more space in your airways, ready for your next breath in.
This means you can breathe in deeper and for longer when you inhale your asthma medicine.
This gives increases the chances of the medication reaching the small airways deep inside your lungs, making it as effective as possible.
MORE ON ASTHMA
2. Not holding your breath after taking your inhaler
If your GP or nurse has told you to hold your breath after using your inhaler, there's a good reason for it.
When you hold your breath it helps keep your airways still.
This gives more time for the medicine to get into your lungs.
If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds, that's the ideal, but if that's tricky you will still benefit from doing so as long as you can.
A LUNG CONDITION THAT CAUSES BREATHING DIFFICULTIES
Asthma affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also appear for the first time in adults.
It is caused by inflammation of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.
This inflammation makes the breathing tubes highly sensitive, so they temporarily become narrow.
This may occur randomly, or after exposure to a trigger like dust, pollen, smoke and even exercise.
Symptoms:
The main symptoms include
- wheezing
- breathlessness
- a tight chest
- coughing
Symptoms can sometimes get temporarily worse, this is known as an asthma attack.
Treatment
There is no known cure for asthma but the symptoms can be managed with a number of treatments.
Most asthma treatments are taken using an inhaler, a small device that delivers a spray or powder medicine to your breathing tubes as you breathe in.
The main treatments are:
- avoiding potential triggers
- reliever inhalers – inhalers used when needed to quickly relieve asthma symptoms for a short time
- preventer inhalers – inhalers used every day to reduce the inflammation in the breathing tubes
Source: NHS Choices
There are many different types of inhalers, so it is important to learn how to use your specific one.
To find out more visit .
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