scholarly journals Interventional, Quasi-Experimental Study of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Education Care Plan for Hospital Discharge

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
Letitia N. Warunek ◽  
Nicole E. Cieri-Hutcherson ◽  
Brian P. Kersten ◽  
Amany K. Hassan

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and reduced quality of life for patients. Proper use of inhaler devices is critical for effective drug delivery and prevention of COPD progression. The primary endpoint of this study was a mean percent increase in correct steps associated with inhaler technique after pharmacist education. The co-primary endpoint was a 25% increase in the proportion of patients correctly identifying the appropriate use of short-acting versus long-acting inhaler types. This was an interventional quasi-experimental study of patients hospitalized at a 491-bed tertiary academic medical center with a COPD exacerbation to assess a pharmacist-led COPD care plan. Eligible patients included general floor, adult patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of COPD exacerbation. The primary investigator recorded initial inhaler technique scores through a paper checklist, and provided education about device types and usage. Patients were reassessed within 48 h to determine if pharmacist education improved inhaler knowledge. A total of 67 patients received the COPD care plan before hospital discharge. At baseline, patients scored a median of 81.8% (67.5–97.0) of steps correct across all inhaler device types. After pharmacist education, patient scores increased to a median of 100% (90.9–100.0) (p < 0.0001). The proportion of patients correctly identifying when to use short-acting versus long-acting inhalers increased from 73.1% to 98.5% (p < 0.0001). Implementation of a pharmacist-led care plan for patients admitted for COPD exacerbation was associated with an increase in correct steps for appropriate inhaler technique and understanding of inhaler device types after pharmacist education.

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 1601794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Molimard ◽  
Chantal Raherison ◽  
Severine Lignot ◽  
Aurelie Balestra ◽  
Stephanie Lamarque ◽  
...  

Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be prevented by inhaled treatment. Errors in inhaler handling, not taken into account in clinical trials, could impact drug delivery and minimise treatment benefit. We aimed to assess real-life inhaler device handling in COPD patients and its association with COPD exacerbations.To this end, 212 general practitioners and 50 pulmonologists assessed the handling of 3393 devices used for continuous treatment of COPD in 2935 patients. Handling errors were observed in over 50% of handlings, regardless of the device used. Critical errors compromising drug delivery were respectively made in 15.4%, 21.2%, 29.3%, 43.8%, 46.9% and 32.1% of inhalation assessment tests with Breezhaler® (n=876), Diskus® (n=452), Handihaler® (n=598), pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) (n=422), Respimat® (n=625) and Turbuhaler® (n=420).The proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation or emergency room visits in the past 3 months for severe COPD exacerbation was 3.3% (95% CI 2.0–4.5) in the absence of error and 6.9% (95% CI 5.3–8.5) in the presence of critical error (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.14–3.04, p<0.05).Handling errors of inhaler devices are underestimated in real life and are associated with an increased rate of severe COPD exacerbation. Training in inhaler use is an integral part of COPD management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko Azuma ◽  
Atsushi Sano ◽  
Takashi Sakai ◽  
Satoshi Koezuka ◽  
Hajime Otsuka ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important risk factor for postoperative complications and mortality. To determine the effects of perioperative combination therapy, using a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) and a long-acting β2 agonist (LABA), on preoperative lung function, postoperative morbidity and mortality, and long-term outcome in COPD patients. Methods Between January 2005 and October 2019, 130 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed COPD underwent surgery for lung cancer. We conducted a retrospective review of their medical record to evaluate that LAMA/LABA might be an optimal regimen for patients with COPD undergoing surgery for lung cancer. All patients were received perioperative rehabilitation and divided into 3 groups according to the type of perioperative inhaled therapy and management: LAMA/LABA (n = 64), LAMA (n = 23) and rehabilitation only (no bronchodilator) (n = 43). We conducted a retrospective review of their medical records. Results Patients who received preoperative LAMA/LABA therapy showed significant improvement in lung function before surgery (p < 0.001 for both forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%pred). Compared with patients who received preoperative LAMA therapy, patients with LAMA/LABA therapy had significantly improved lung function (ΔFEV1, LAMA/LABA 223.1 mL vs. LAMA 130.0 mL, ΔFEV1%pred, LAMA/LABA 10.8% vs. LAMA 6.8%; both p < 0.05). Postoperative complications were lower frequent in the LAMA/LABA group than in the LAMA group (p = 0.007). In patients with moderate to severe air flow limitation (n = 61), those who received LAMA/LABA therapy had significantly longer overall survival and disease-free survival compared with the LAMA (p = 0.049, p = 0.026) and rehabilitation-only groups (p = 0.001, p < 0.001). Perioperative LAMA/LABA therapy was also associated with lower recurrence rates (vs. LAMA p = 0.006, vs. rehabilitation-only p = 0.008). Conclusions We believe this treatment combination is optimal for patients with lung cancer and COPD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Slade ◽  
Riju Ray ◽  
Chad Moretz ◽  
Guillaume Germain ◽  
François Laliberté ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Adherence to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) maintenance medication is important for managing symptoms and exacerbation risk, and is associated with reduced mortality, hospitalizations, and costs. This study compared on-treatment exacerbations, medical costs, and medication adherence in patients with COPD initiating treatment with umeclidinium/vilanterol (UMEC/VI) or tiotropium (TIO). Methods This retrospective matched cohort study selected patients from Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart database who initiated maintenance treatment with UMEC/VI or TIO between 01/01/2014 and 12/31/2017 (index date defined as the first dispensing). Eligible patients were ≥ 40 years of age and had ≥ 12 months continuous health plan coverage pre- and post-index; ≥ 1 medical claim for COPD pre-index or on the index date; no moderate/severe COPD-related exacerbations on the index date; no asthma diagnosis pre- or post-index; no maintenance medication fills containing inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting β2-agonists, or long-acting muscarinic antagonists pre-index or on the index date; and no fills for both UMEC/VI and TIO on the index date. Outcomes included time-to-first (Kaplan–Meier analysis) and rates of on-treatment COPD-related moderate/severe exacerbations, medication adherence (proportion of days covered [PDC] and proportion of adherent patients [PDC ≥ 0.8]), and COPD-related medical costs per patient per month (PPPM). Propensity score matching was used to adjust for potential confounders. Results Each cohort included 3929 matched patients. Kaplan–Meier rates of on-treatment COPD-related exacerbations were similar between cohorts (hazard ratio at 12 months; overall: 0.93, moderate: 0.92, severe: 1.07; all p > 0.05). UMEC/VI versus TIO initiators had significantly higher adherence (mean PDC: 0.44 vs 0.37; p < 0.001; proportion with PDC ≥ 0.8: 22.0% vs 16.4%; p< 0.001) and significantly lower mean on-treatment COPD-related total medical costs ($867 vs $1095 PPPM; p = 0.028), driven by lower outpatient visit costs. Conclusions These findings provide valuable information for physicians considering UMEC/VI or TIO as initial maintenance therapy options for patients with COPD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-87
Author(s):  
I. V. Leshchenko ◽  
A. S. Meshcheryakova

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading cause of death in the structure of respiratory diseases. The problem of rational pharmacotherapy of COPD have attracted attention of the medical scientific society for many years. The understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease has deepened and approaches to the therapy have changed. Some COPD patients need regular fixed-combination therapy: long-acting bronchodilators (LABD) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in order to prevent exacerbations and reduce the severity of symptoms of the disease. Blood eosinophils count is one of criteria for choosing regular therapy. The appearance of fixed triple combinations of ICS/LABD increased the effectiveness of COPD therapy, and a new delivery device for fixed combination of budesonide/formoterol makes it possible to use ICS successfully in the most severe patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Machado Alba

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects approximately 174 million people worldwide.The objective was to determine the trends of the use of medications for COPD in a group of Colombian patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study on prescription patterns of bronchodilators and other medications used in COPD from a population database with follow-up at 12 and 24 months. Patients older than 18 years of age of any sex who had COPD between 2017 and 2019 were included. Sociodemographic variables, medications, treatment schedules for COPD, comorbidities, comedications, and the specialty of the prescriber were considered. Results: A total of 9,476 people with a diagnosis of COPD were evaluated. They had a mean age of 75.9 ± 10.7 years, 50.1% were men, and 86.8% were prescribed by a general practitioner. At the beginning of the follow-up, on average, they received 1.6 medications/patient, mainly short-acting antimuscarinics (3784; 39.9%), followed by short-acting β-agonists (2997, 31.6%) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (2239, 23.6%), but 5083 (53.6%) patients received a long-acting bronchodilator. At the beginning of the follow-up, 645 (6.8%) patients were put on triple therapy with antimuscarinics, β-agonists, and ICS, and at 12 months, this rose to 1388 (20.6%). A total of 57.9% had comorbidities, most often hypertension (44.4%). Conclusions: This group of patients with COPD treated in Colombia frequently received short-acting bronchodilators and ICS, but a growing proportion are undergoing controlled therapy with long-acting bronchodilators, a situation that can improve the indicators of morbidity, exacerbations, and hospitalization.


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