from Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Medical devices known as epinephrine auto-injectors and asthma inhalers are used by millions of Americans to treat potentially fatal allergic reactions. However, a new study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, says misuse is a major problem—that only sixteen percent of epinephrine users and only seven percent of inhaler users get it right. Even those who think they know how. The most common error among epinephrine users was not holding the injector in place for at least ten seconds after triggering. The most common mistake while using an inhaler was not exhaling prior to delivering a puff of medication in order to take a very deep breath of the medication. The authors say improper use of the devices means people’s lives may be at stake.