Do healthcare professionals know enough about inhalation therapy?: Minimising the risks associated with dosing inaccuracies in therapy for female COPD patients

Inhalation therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for patients with COPD. There is a wide variety of medicines that can be administered using an equally wide variety of inhalers. Selecting the most suitable inhaler for each patient requires a thorough understanding not only of the medication's effects and side effects, but also of the correct inhalation technique and the manual dexterity required to operate the devices. The benefit of therapy for COPD patients depends on the optimal administration of medication. As COPD is now the third leading cause of death worldwide and is associated with severe limitations on the lives of those affected, providing the best possible treatment for this patient group is of central medical, economic and humanitarian importance. Training healthcare staff in the selection and use of these devices is a first step towards reducing risks such as disease progression, which are associated with inadequate medication.