People living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) get relief from asthma, bronchitis or emphysema through medication delivered using inhalers. Unlike simply popping a medicine into one’s mouth, the COPD patient has to properly use the medical device to get relief. However, based on studies, many use inhalers incorrectly, causing poor drug absorption, ineffective symptom control and frequent attacks.

Addressing this issue is St. Luke’s Global City’s (SLGC) newly-opened inhaler clinic at its Taguig City branch.

Dr. Gwen Dy-Agra, head of the Institute of Pulmonary Medicine at SLGC, summed up how the clinic works during its inauguration ceremony last 4 December.

“When we see patients who tell us that the medication is not working, we always have to check the inhaler technique. Maybe, it’s wrong,” Dy-Agra told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Dr. Jay Andrew Ilagan, a pulmonologist, Dr. Anthony Perez, senior vice president and medical director of St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Dy-Agra led the ceremonial ribbon cutting for the Inhaler Clinic. She invited COPD patients, those receiving new inhaler prescriptions or confused on how to use it, to visit the clinic and get educational and monitoring sessions.

At the clinic, lung specialists prescribe breathing assistive devices that deliver medication more effectively and guide patients on how to use these, including breathing technique, timing and cleaning.

Through proper coaching, the clinic empowers COPD patients to take control of their breathing — and regain confidence in their treatment.

Dy-Agra added that clients of the SLGC Inhaler Clinic are completely evaluated before being prescribed with an inhaler with the intention of making their lifestyle healthy.

“Modifiable habits like smoking, vaping. These, we also need to enforce,” she said.

Dy-Agra said multiple factors contribute to the rise of respiratory diseases — but pointed to vaping and smoking, alongside climate change, as the main driving forces.