PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS ON THE USE OF INHALATION DEVICES: A REVIEW OF PHARMACEUTICAL CARE IN ASTHMA CONTROL

Abstract

Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic disease, and the treatment is divided between maintenance and symptomatic pharmacotherapy. The efficient and prolonged control of the clinical and functional manifestations of asthma can be achieved using corticosteroids, short and long-acting beta-receptor agonists, often incorporated into inhalation devices. Studies highlight that pharmaceutical care focused on establishing self-management of asthma treatment is promising. Therefore, this study sought evidence on pharmaceutical interventions and their outcomes related to the administration of inhalation devices for patients with asthma. It is an integrative review and narrative synthesis. Eight original articles were found pointing to evidence that pharmaceutical interventions can reduce problems related to the use of inhalation devices, providing self-management of asthma treatment. It is concluded that interventions conducted by pharmacists improve the use of inhalers, reflecting positively on disease control and reducing problems related to medications.