BACKGROUND: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment guidelines support the preferential use of portable inhalers (PIs) over wet nebulization (WN) respiratory therapy. Hospital- and community-based educational initiatives and a community-based provincial drug program policy change were previously implemented to promote the conversion of WN therapy to PI and spacer device use in Nova Scotia. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of these interventions on salbutamol, ipratropium bromide, and spacer device (Aerochamber) use at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (QEII HSC). METHODS: We conducted a time-series analysis of drug utilization data from August 1998 to July 2005. We used two intervention phases compared to the pre-intervention phase to determine whether the educational and policy interventions were associated with significant changes in monthly drug and spacer device utilization rates at the QEII HSC (1000-bed teaching hospital; Halifax, Nova Scotia). RESULTS: Salbutamol and ipratropium bromide PI use significantly increased in both intervention phases, compared to the pre-intervention phase. Mean (SD) defined daily doses/100 bed-days for salbutamol PI increased from 30.4 (0.4) in the pre-intervention phase to 34.6 (0.9) and 37.0 (0.4) in intervention phases I and II respectively (p<0.001 for both), and ipratropium bromide PI increased from 27.3 (3.5) to 32.8 (2.5) in intervention phase I (p=0.004) and 35.6 (3.5) in intervention phase II (p<0.001). However, a significant corresponding decrease was observed with salbutamol WN only. Mean (SD) Aerochamber units/100 bed-days significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Educational and policy interventions had limited effects on converting WN to PI use at the QEII HSC.
BACKGROUND:Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment guidelines support the preferential use of portable inhalers (PIs) over wet nebulization (WN) respiratory therapy. Hospital- and community-based educational initiatives and a community-based provincial drug program policy change were previously implemented to promote the conversion of WN therapy to PI and spacer device use in Nova Scotia. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of these interventions on salbutamol, ipratropium bromide, and spacer device (Aerochamber) use at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre (QEII HSC). METHODS: We conducted a time-series analysis of drug utilization data from August 1998 to July 2005. We used two intervention phases compared to the pre-intervention phase to determine whether the educational and policy interventions were associated with significant changes in monthly drug and spacer device utilization rates at the QEII HSC (1000-bed teaching hospital; Halifax, Nova Scotia). RESULTS:Salbutamol and ipratropium bromide PI use significantly increased in both intervention phases, compared to the pre-intervention phase. Mean (SD) defined daily doses/100 bed-days for salbutamol PI increased from 30.4 (0.4) in the pre-intervention phase to 34.6 (0.9) and 37.0 (0.4) in intervention phases I and II respectively (p<0.001 for both), and ipratropium bromide PI increased from 27.3 (3.5) to 32.8 (2.5) in intervention phase I (p=0.004) and 35.6 (3.5) in intervention phase II (p<0.001). However, a significant corresponding decrease was observed with salbutamol WN only. Mean (SD) Aerochamber units/100 bed-days significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Educational and policy interventions had limited effects on converting WN to PI use at the QEII HSC.
Authors: Judith E Fisher; Ying Zhang; Ingrid Sketris; Grace Johnston; Fred Burge Journal: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf Date: 2011-11-14 Impact factor: 2.890
Authors: Andrea Baccarelli; Ida Martinelli; Valeria Pegoraro; Steven Melly; Paolo Grillo; Antonella Zanobetti; Lifang Hou; Pier Alberto Bertazzi; Pier Mannuccio Mannucci; Joel Schwartz Journal: Circulation Date: 2009-06-08 Impact factor: 29.690