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(Nexstar) – According to a new study, the small voice emanating from the inhaler has a large environmental effect, which may endanger some people with the old position.
Published on Monday in the Peer-review Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), University of California Los Angeles Health Studies From 2014 to 2024, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) saw emissions from three types of inhalers prescribed. “Meatred-dose” According to the study, the inhalers, who have a measured puff of the drug when pressed, have hydrophloroolcan (HFA) propellant and 98 percent are responsible for emissions.
A ‘heavy environmental cost’
Researchers found that equipment produced more than 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions or about 530,000 gas -powered cars.
“Inhaler enhances the growing carbon footprint in the US health care system, which threatens many patients with chronic respiratory diseases,” said the lead writer and pulmonologist Dr. William Feldman said in a news release.
Feldman said that there is still “tremendous opportunity” to switch to low emissions options for planetary and patients’ lungs.
Potential option
Feldman told Agen france-school Only a few patients require a really mealing devices – large adults who cannot forcefully breathe, and very young children who have to use spacer, a chamber technique that only works with meatd inhalers.
Feldman said, “In the US,” Most people can use dried powder or soft mist inhaler, “but the possibility of covering them by insurance is less expensive, making them more expensive.
The UCLA Health Team is calling for more environment-friendly inhalers to transfer dried powder and soft mist while low emissions, propalent-based inhaler are made.
Kate Bender, Vice President of National Advocates and Public Policy of American Lung Association, told CNN “It drives me crazy that the medicine I use to cure my symptoms inspire climate change.”
Where did the data come from?
The UCLA Health Team used a national database of inhaler recipes to estimate the result based on the measurement of other educational studies. This was followed by emission level analysis: type of drug, type of equipment, propellant type, medical class, branded status, manufacturer, payment and pharmacy profit manager.
Feldman said, “The first important step to bring changes is to understand the actual scale of the problem.” “From there, we can identify what these emissions are promoting and can develop target strategies to reduce them – which will benefit both patients and the environment.”
The UCLA health team is planning further research about the use of inhaler among some population such as Medicade beneficiaries.
According to the latest data from the disease control and prevention centers, approximately 16 million Americans have COPD, and other 25 million asthma.
