Using an inhaler
Sometimes breathlessness, usually associated with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is treated with inhalers.
There are different types of inhalers. The two most common types are reliever and preventer inhalers.
Reliever inhalers are usually blue and are used to provide quick relief from symptoms as they appear. Preventer – sometimes referred to as ‘treatment’ – inhalers should be used every day and help to reduce the risk of symptoms and asthma attacks. Some inhalers should be used with a spacer. Find out more about inhalers and spacers.
If you are prescribed an inhaler, knowing how to use it correctly can help you manage your condition well. There is support available online – find out how to improve your inhaler technique.
If you have been prescribed a new inhaler, your pharmacist can provide advice on inhaler technique through the New Medicines Service (NMS) which is offered by community pharmacies. Find a pharmacy close to you on the NHS website.
Inhaler technique
Good inhaler technique is important for managing your respiratory condition. Using your inhaler correctly ensures that medicines reach the lungs where they’re needed, maximising the benefit. It also means you’re less likely to get side effects by reducing the amount of medicine being absorbed by the rest of your body.
The leaflet that comes with your inhaler has instructions on how to use it, and there is a series of demonstration videos on the Asthma + Lung UK website to walk you through the correct technique for your inhaler type.
You can search for your inhaler type on the Right Breathe website and watch technique videos for your inhaler. Alternatively, download the Right Breathe app on the App Store or Google Play.
If you have been prescribed a new inhaler, speak to your community pharmacist who can do a New Medicines Service (NMS) check with you. Through this free service, you will receive support with your new device, including advice on inhaler technique.
If you still need additional help with your technique, you can:
- Call the Asthma + Lung UK helpline on 0300 222 5800 and speak to a respiratory nurse specialist. Available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
- Send a WhatsApp message to a respiratory nurse specialist with Asthma + Lung UK on 07378 606 728. Available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
- Ask for advice from your GP or asthma nurse at your next respiratory review.
If you need to use your reliever inhaler for three or more times a week, or you experience night-time awakenings where you need to use your reliever inhaler, it may be a sign that your respiratory condition is not well controlled.
Using your reliever inhaler too frequently
You should follow these steps to make sure you’re managing your respiratory condition in the best way:
- Use your preventer (treatment) inhaler every day to control your symptoms. This should reduce how much you need to use your reliever inhaler.
- Check your inhaler technique – see the section on inhaler technique above.
- Follow your asthma action plan, or self-management plan for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which tells you what to do when your symptoms are getting worse.
After following these steps, if you still use your reliever inhaler three or more times a week, or you experience night-time awakenings where you need to use your reliever inhaler, make a routine appointment at your GP surgery. Until then, continue to use your reliever inhaler when needed.
Disposing of inhalers
Return any empty or unwanted inhalers to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of safely. A member of staff will dispose of your inhalers with other medicine waste so that it can be thermally treated to destroy any greenhouse gases. If you use a spacer with your inhaler, there is advice on how to replace and dispose of these on the Asthma+Lung UK website.
Below are some top tips to help you avoid building up a collection of unwanted inhalers in the first place:
- Always check your stock before ordering more. Preventer and combination inhalers should be used every day and therefore must be ordered regularly. There’s more about these different types of inhalers on the Asthma + Lung UK website.
- You should only tick or request more reliever inhalers if you are running low in the next month. If your pharmacy orders inhalers on your behalf, check your bag when collecting your medicine and make sure they’re not over-ordering.
- It’s also okay to order your reliever inhalers at different intervals. You may run low at different times due to how often you use them and the number of doses they contain. Some reliever inhalers have a counter to let you know how many doses are left which can help you know when to order.
If you have been prescribed a new inhaler recently, your pharmacist can also provide advice on inhaler technique through the New Medicines Service. Knowing how to use your new device correctly will help ensure your respiratory condition is well managed. Find a pharmacy close to you on the NHS website or explore support that is available online.
Greener inhalers in Hertfordshire and west Essex
Patients in our area who use inhalers to manage their respiratory condition are being offered switches to ‘greener’ inhalers with lower carbon footprints. This is in a move to help reduce the carbon emissions released from inhalers, which currently account for approximately 3% of the NHS carbon footprint.
If you use inhalers, your healthcare professional can help you explore whether you are suitable for a version that contains less, or even no greenhouse gases, such as dry powder inhalers. Your healthcare professional might raise this with you directly at your next respiratory review or you can ask them to discuss this with you during the review.
You might also receive a text or letter from your GP practice if you use a reliever inhaler, letting you know that your device is changing. Reliever inhalers are usually blue and are used to provide quick relief from symptoms as they appear. The switch will be to an inhaler that contains the same reliever medicine (salbutamol) but up to three times less carbon and greenhouse gases, making it more environmentally friendly.
Not everyone will be suitable for a switch, but there are other inhaler-related changes that can be made to help tackle carbon emissions. These include using your inhaler as prescribed, being confident with your inhaler technique and returning all used inhalers to your local pharmacy – find a nearby pharmacy.
Read the information under the subheadings below to understand what these changes mean for you:
Your last inhaler review took place recently
If you are using a reliever inhaler with a high carbon footprint, your health professional is likely to change this to one that has a lower carbon footprint without an appointment. Your new reliever inhaler will be more environmentally friendly.
Until your next review is scheduled, there are other ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your current inhalers and make sure your condition is well managed. You should:
- use your inhaler as prescribed
- make sure you are confident with your inhaler technique
- follow your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan so you know what to do if your symptoms get worse
- return all used inhalers to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of in an environmentally safe way.
It’s been over a year since your last inhaler review
Most people with asthma or COPD will have a respiratory review with a health professional at their GP practice at least once a year. Usually, your GP surgery will invite you for this, although if they haven’t, it’s fine to book an appointment for this yourself. There is useful advice on the Asthma+Lung UK website about how to make the most of your inhaler review.
Between your reviews, make sure your respiratory condition is well managed. Do this by using your inhaler as prescribed and following your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan. You should also learn how you can improve your inhaler technique.
You already have a CFC-free inhaler
Chlorofluorohydrocarbon (CFC) free reliever inhalers contain propellant gases which send medicines out of the device and into your lungs. Propellants are greenhouse gases. When released into the atmosphere, the gases stay in the air and trap the sun’s heat, like glass does in a greenhouse. This warms the planet, which is a problem for the climate. Climate change increases air pollution which can worsen lung conditions.
Your GP practice might ask your pharmacist to change your reliever inhaler to a ‘greener inhaler’ that contains less of this propellant gas. The more environmentally friendly inhaler that you receive is likely to be branded as Salamol®.
You might notice that your new inhaler looks or tastes slightly different, but that’s nothing to worry about. The more environmentally friendly inhaler will deliver the same medication in the same way with the same dose.
At your next respiratory review, your health professional will explore your suitability for any other inhalers that are more environmentally friendly. They may raise this with you directly or you can ask them to discuss this with you during your review.
Until your next review is scheduled, there are other ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your current inhalers and make sure your condition is well managed. You should:
- use your inhaler as prescribed
- check your inhaler technique – find out more on how to use your inhaler correctly.
- follow your asthma action plan or COPD self-management plan so you know what to do if your symptoms get worse
- return all used inhalers to your local pharmacy so they can be disposed of in an environmentally safe way. Find a pharmacy close to you or find out more about inhaler disposal.
Your GP practice has been in touch about a switch to a Salamol®/more environmentally friendly inhaler and you have questions
You don’t need to do anything for the switch to happen. It will be there when you receive your next reliever inhaler from the pharmacy.
When collecting your new inhaler, let your pharmacist know if your prescription has changed. They can give you training on how to use it through a New Medicines Service (NMS) check, so do ask them about this if you’re interested. There are also online inhaler technique videos and advice for you to follow.
For more useful advice about changing inhalers, visit the Asthma+Lung UK website. If you still have queries, you can speak to your community pharmacist – find a local pharmacy – or get in touch with your GP practice.