Zdravstveni stručnjaci i ljekarnici uputili su ozbiljno upozoravajući apel osobama koje se u zimskim mjesecima redovito oslanjaju isključivo na plave inhalatore za ublažavanje respiratornih tegoba.
Plavi inhalator sadrži salbutamol, lijek koji brzo opušta mišiće i otvara dišne puteve pružajući trenutno olakšanje osobama koje boluju od astme ili kronične opstruktivne plućne bolesti.
Međutim, ljekarnik Raj objašnjava kako samostalno korištenje ovog lijeka predstavlja značajan rizik jer on ne liječi pozadinsku upalu pluća. Iako pacijenti kratkoročno osjećaju poboljšanje, stanje dišnih puteva može se postupno pogoršavati bez odgovarajuće terapije.
@therajrpatel STILL USING YOUR BLUE INHALER ON ITS OWN? THAT NEEDS AN ASTHMA REVIEW. Blue inhalers such as salbutamol work quickly. They relax tightened muscles around the airways, helping relieve wheeze, cough, chest tightness and breathlessness. But salbutamol does not treat the inflammation underneath asthma. That is why feeling better after a few puffs is not the same as having well-controlled asthma. IS IT SAFE TO USE A BLUE INHALER ON ITS OWN? Current NICE guidance says short-acting beta2 agonists—known as SABAs—should not be prescribed to people with asthma without inhaled corticosteroid treatment as well. The MHRA warns that SABA overuse is associated with a higher risk of severe asthma attacks, hospitalisation and death, whether or not someone is also prescribed anti-inflammatory treatment. HOW OFTEN IS TOO OFTEN FOR A BLUE INHALER? There are two useful checks: • Needing a reliever on three or more days each week can mean your asthma is uncontrolled. • NICE lists collecting more than two SABA inhalers in a year as a risk factor for poor outcomes. Do not wait until the inhaler stops helping. Increasing use is itself a reason to ask for a prompt review. WHAT IS AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY RELIEVER INHALER? For many people aged 12 and over, treatment may involve a specifically prescribed combination inhaler containing an inhaled corticosteroid and formoterol. Used as AIR therapy, it relieves symptoms and delivers anti-inflammatory treatment at the same time. MART uses a suitable inhaler for both regular maintenance and symptom relief. But not every combination inhaler can be used as a reliever. Do not swap, stop or start using an inhaler differently unless your asthma team has confirmed the exact product and plan. WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN? Treatment depends on age. Children aged 5 to 11 with newly diagnosed asthma are generally offered regular paediatric low-dose inhaled corticosteroid treatment with a SABA when needed. Paediatric MART may be considered later if asthma remains uncontrolled and the child can manage the regimen. That is why “just ask for a combination inhaler” is not the whole answer. The right plan depends on age, diagnosis, current treatment, symptoms, technique and the inhaler the person can use correctly. SHOULD I THROW AWAY MY BLUE INHALER? No. Keep it and follow your current written asthma action plan until your treatment has been reviewed. A blue inhaler may still be part of an appropriate plan—for example alongside a separate preventer, or for particular children and emergency situations. WHAT SHOULD AN ASTHMA REVIEW CHECK? Ask your GP, asthma nurse, pharmacist or prescriber to check: ✅ how many days a week you need relief ✅ how many blue inhalers you collect each year ✅ daytime and night-time symptoms ✅ asthma attacks, steroid courses or urgent visits ✅ whether you take your preventer as prescribed ✅ your inhaler and spacer technique ✅ smoking, vaping and personal triggers ✅ whether AIR or MART is suitable for you ✅ that you have an updated written asthma action plan If you are having an asthma attack, follow your action plan. Call 999 if you are getting worse, your reliever is not helping, you are struggling to speak or breathe, or you feel exhausted, drowsy or confused. Do not throw your blue inhaler away—but do not rely on it alone. How often are you reaching for your reliever: rarely, once or twice a week, or three or more days a week? Sources: NICE NG245; MHRA SABA safety update; NHS salbutamol guidance. #Asthma #BlueInhaler #Salbutamol #AsthmaControl #inhaler
Nove smjernice Britanskog nacionalnog instituta za zdravlje i njegu povezuju prekomjernu uporabu plavog inhalatora s učestalijim hospitalizacijama, težim napadajima astme i povećanim rizikom od smrtnih posljedica. Stručnjaci naglašavaju da učestala potreba za plavim inhalatorom ukazuje na to da bolest nije pod kontrolom.
Liječnica opće prakse Amina Al-Yassin ističe kako je oslanjanje isključivo na plavi inhalator opasan signal u liječenju astme. Pacijentima se savjetuje da nipošto ne prekidaju propisanu terapiju, već da se obrate svom liječniku radi uvođenja kombiniranih inhalatora koji uz ublažavanje simptoma ujedno djeluju i na smanjenje upale dišnih puteva.
