Respiratory inhalers and the environment
Respiratory Consultant Professor John Blakey with researchers Natalie Anderson and Brett Montgomery from The University of Western Australia.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) Respiratory Consultant Professor John Blakey and a team of clinicians and researchers are raising awareness of the environmental impact of inhalers used by people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.
John said the simple decision to prescribe a different inhaler type had a similar environmental benefit as switching from petrol car to a hybrid.
Chronic airway diseases are highly prevalent in Australia, with asthma affecting more than one in 10 people. The prevailing treatment for respiratory conditions is the daily delivery of medicines from inhalers, with several million inhalers used annually in Australia.
Currently pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), which contain propellant gases that significantly contribute to global warming, are the most common type of respiratory inhaler prescribed.
John said for most patients there were other options available, including dry powder inhaler (DPI) that mitigate the environmental impact while still maintaining high-quality patient care.
“We believe that environmental considerations should be among the many factors weighed by doctors and patients in the prescribing process,” he said.
“Changing inhalers is something simple people can practically do, and it would lead to at least as much CO2 saving as cycling to work instead of driving a car,” he said.
Studies have found that the reduction in carbon footprint achieved by a person switching from regular pMDI use to DPI use was about 420kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions annually, switching from a petrol car to a hybrid would save about 500kg CO2e annually.
John said the first step was ensuring a patients’ treatment was appropriate in treating their asthma or respiratory symptoms and secondly whether a more environmentally alternative could be suitable. Switching inhalers is not suitable for everyone.
“For many patients, discussing this topic may be an opportunity to allow them to tread a little more lightly on the earth while also optimising their respiratory health,” he said.
John said apart from choosing inhalers that do not emit polluting gases, prescribers should also offer medication regimens that use fewer doses and fewer inhalers, reducing plastic waste.