MISSING MEDICATION

Q My husband has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is supposed to use his inhalers every day. I’ve noticed he often forgets to use them – does this matter? A In the UK, over 3 million people have COPD, and an estimated 2 million more have COPD and are undiagnosed. While the condition is not curable, it is controllable, and taking medications every day, as prescribed, can reduce the risk of COPD exacerbations needing hospital admission by 20%. These exacerbations can be serious and need intensive care. Some people may stop using their inhaler because they don’t notice an immediate effect, or they are worried that it might lose its effect with time. This is not the case. So do remind him to use his inhaler every day (advise him to set an alarm on a watch or phone) and to talk to his doctor or pharmacist if he has any concerns.