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Asthma sufferers urged to check for faulty inhalers ‘as thousands of lives STILL at risk’
EVERY asthma sufferer is being urged to check their inhalers, as thousands of faulty ones are still feared to be putting lives at risk.
Health bosses have renewed their calls for people to hand faulty inhalers into pharmacists, following an urgent recall last week.
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Two brands were recalled for failing to deliver the right doses of potentially life-saving medication.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recalled two Ventolin and Seretide inhalers last week, both manufactured by Glaxo Wellcome UK Limited.
Bernadette Sinclair Jenkins, MHRA's regulatory assessment unit manager, told The Sun Online today: "It is still important people check whether they have an affected inhaler.
"We want patients and their families to be confident treatment will be safe and effective when required."
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More than 4,500 blue Ventolin 200mcg inhalers and 1,400 purple Seretide 50/250mcg inhalers are affected, a spokesman told The Sun Online.
Experts warned people with asthma may find their symptoms worsen, or are not relieved by the medication during an attack.
Dr Andy Whittamore, GP and clinical lead at Asthma UK, said: "It is extremely worrying that some people with asthma may have faulty inhalers and it could put people’s lives at risk.
"The Ventolin inhalers are reliever inhalers and so are used by people while they are experiencing asthma symptoms such as a cough, breathlessness, wheezing or a tight chest.
How to tell if your inhaler is affected
Three batches of the two inhalers have been recalled.
To check if yours is affected look on the back of the inhaler to see if the lot and expiry date matches any of the below:
1. Seretide Accuhaler Inhaler 50/250MCG –1X60D
- Lot: 5K8W
- Expiry date: 28/04/2019
2. Ventolin Accuhaler Inhaler 200MCG –1X60D
- Lot: 754P
- Expiry date: 11/05/2019
3. Ventolin Accuhaler Inhaler 200MCG –1X60D
- Lot: 786G
- Expiry date: 12/05/2019
"If someone’s inhaler is faulty they may find it doesn’t help which could be frightening and mean they’re more likely to have an asthma attack.
"We’d urge everyone with asthma to check if their inhaler is from the affected batch by checking the number on the bottom of their inhaler.
"If it is affected, they should get medical advice and return the inhaler to their pharmacist for a replacement."
Ventolin inhalers are used to manage asthma symptoms as they occur, while Seretide inhalers are used as a preventative treatment.
NHS expert explains symptoms of Asthma and various inhaler techniques
MORE ON ASTHMA
The inhalers are also being recalled from hospitals, pharmacies and retailers across the UK.
Other asthma inhalers, including the more commonly used Ventolin Evohaler, are not affected.
Each day in the UK three people die from asthma attacks, according to Asthma UK.
An attack happens when a person's airways start to tighten, which can leave them coughing, wheezing and gasping for breath.
Some people with asthma describe having an attack as feeling like someone is holding a pillow over their face.
And the condition often gets worse when there are pollutants in the air, such as smoke.
If you have an affected inhaler, or to check your inhaler, visit your local pharmacist.
A LUNG CONDITION THAT CAUSES BREATHING DIFFICULTIES
Asthma affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also appear for the first time in adults.
It is caused by inflammation of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.
This inflammation makes the breathing tubes highly sensitive, so they temporarily become narrow.
This may occur randomly, or after exposure to a trigger like dust, pollen, smoke and even exercise.
Symptoms:
The main symptoms include
- wheezing
- breathlessness
- a tight chest
- coughing
Symptoms can sometimes get temporarily worse, this is known as an asthma attack.
Treatment
There is no known cure for asthma but the symptoms can be managed with a number of treatments.
Most asthma treatments are taken using an inhaler, a small device that delivers a spray or powder medicine to your breathing tubes as you breathe in.
The main treatments are:
- avoiding potential triggers
- reliever inhalers – inhalers used when needed to quickly relieve asthma symptoms for a short time
- preventer inhalers – inhalers used every day to reduce the inflammation in the breathing tubes
Source: NHS Choices
Animation that explains what asthma is and how it affects people who suffer from it
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