 In
this Issue June 2004
National Asthma Council on the Web
Feedback on the Website
Drug Delivery Device Resource
Conference Diary 2004
National Asthma Council on the Web
The National Asthma Council website has been in
operation since 1996. Traffic has increased over the NAC site in line
with increased use of the Internet, particularly for the provision of
health information (see May Newsletter).
From the capture of
postcode information in our web feedback, the NAC website is accessed
right around Australia from Arulen to York Town, as well as
internationally. |
Feedback
|
Araluen, NSW |
Dingwall, VIC |
|
Lyneham , ACT |
Miles End, QLD |
|
Scarborough, WA |
York Town, TAS |
|
Web Visitors
The graph below shows how overall monthly visitor numbers for
the past two years continue a healthy upward trend, despite some seasonal dips.
July 2002 - June 2004
Pages Accessed Annually
The number of web pages accessed annually has grown from 250,000
to around 800,000 since the year 2000. This reflects the fact that the
information on the website is constantly being updated and new material added.
For example, the 1995 Spirometry Handbook by David P Johns and Rob Pierce, which
has been a favourite with users for almost 10 years, is about to be updated
online (coming in July). The text and tables have been revised by Associate
Professor Johns to reflect the advances in lung function testing over the past
decade.
The Asthma Management Handbook is being reviewed and revised for
late 2005 web publication. The literature review for the next edition will be
comprehensive, and far more evidence will be available to those GPs who wish to
look at the background to the asthma management recommendations.
July 2002 - June 2004
Content Accessed
There are seven basic areas that make up the NAC website
-
Asthma Facts – information about asthma and management,
-
Online Publications,
-
Media, Research information,
-
First Aid for asthma,
-
Links, and
-
NAC general information.
Each area is well visited with seasonal variation associated
with school and university breaks.
July 2002 - June 2004
Online Publications
With the publications, the Spirometry handbook and the Asthma
Management Handbook are now equally well accessed each month with the trend
increasing for Spirometry quite markedly in the past two years.
Additional online information on spirometry is available as a video tutorial by
Associate Professor John Wilson.
July 2002 - June 2004
Asthma Information
General asthma statistics given in Summary Facts, along with the patient
information sheets Asthma & Allergy, Asthma & Influenza, and Exercise Induced
Asthma are consistently popular destinations for our visitors.
July 2002 - June 2004
Top Pages
The Top 20 Pages account for 33% of pages accessed on the site. Apart from
the Home Page, the Spirometry Handbook home page is the second most accessed
page on the website just shading the Asthma Management Handbook home page.
The Spirometry Handbook has seven pages (shaded in light green) in the Top 20
compared with five for the AMH (shaded in pink).
| Position and Page for July 2003 - June2004 |
Share of all Pages |
| 1 Home Page |
7.2% |
| 2 Spirometry Handbook
|
3.1% |
| 3 AMH Contents |
3.0% |
| 4 Asthma Facts |
2.7% |
| 5 On Line Publications |
1.8% |
| 6 Measurement of
Ventilatory Function |
1.6% |
| 7 Interpretation of
Ventilatory Function Tests |
1.5% |
| 8 Measurement Devices |
1.4% |
| 9 Predicted Normal
Values |
1.3% |
| 10 AMH Asthma Facts |
1.1% |
| 11 Media |
1.1% |
| 12 First Aid |
1.0% |
| 13 Action Plans entry |
0.9% |
| 14 Spiro Intro |
0.9% |
| 15 Spiro Tech |
0.9% |
| 16 Relievers |
0.8% |
| 17 Acute Asthma - assessment |
0.8% |
| 18 Virtual Roadshow index |
0.8% |
| 19 Step 1 |
0.7% |
| 20 Summary Facts |
0.7% |
| Total |
33.4% |
The Virtual Roadshow slips into the Top 20 at Number 18, underscoring the
strong interest for NAC website visitors to embrace the web for educational
purposes.
It is encouraging to see Actions Plans at position 13,
continuing the uptake of Action Plan use in the community.
Feedback on the Website
Your feedback on the website is always welcome. If
you have comments or questions please let us know.
Feedback
 Drug
Delivery Device Resource
An important aspect to consider for any asthma
medication is the method of delivery and whether or not
the person with asthma can adequately utilise a specific
device.
All inhalation devices benefit from
comprehensive demonstration and careful explanation of
their use. A "hands-on" trial in the surgery would
benefit the person with asthma and any carers. As many
people do not use their inhalers correctly, their
technique should be checked regularly, especially if
symptom control is poor.
With the range of delivery devices available today,
a suitable combination of drug and delivery system can
be tailored to suit special needs, children or older
persons.
If you do not have access to physical examples of
devices, then the Townsville Division of General
Practice poster may be useful for you.
The poster is available online at
http://www.tdgp.com.au/pdfs/AsthmaPoster2003.pdf
(Large file warning! 928KB PDF File - Acrobat
Reader required)
The Asthma Management Handbook describes the main
devices available and the table below provides a brief
overview only.
|
Overview of Asthma Delivery Devices |
Delivery |
Brief Description* |
Brief Notes/Brands* |
| Metered Dose Inhalers
(Commonly known as MDIs) |
Pressurised MDIs are
multidose devices usually containing micronised powdered medication
with a dispersal agent and a propellent system.
Deposition of the drug from the inhaler to the
airway is achieved by coordinating the actuation
of the MDI and the inhalation of the aerosol
mist. |
- Various MDIs available.
- The most common problem with MDI use is incorrectly
coordinating drug release and inhalation. Most children under 7
years of age cannot use a standard pressurised MDI alone. In
this group, use a valved spacer in conjunction with an MDI.
- Autohaler (beclomethasone and salbutamol) is of
value in patients who are unable to coordinate the use of an
MDI.
|
| Dry Powder Devices |
Some children in the
5-7 year age group may be able to use these devices effectively. In
general, in this age group, an MDI and valved spacer are preferred. |
- Accuhaler
(salmeterol, fluticasone, and the
combination of salmeterol and fluticasone)
- Aerolizer
(eformoterol)
- Rotahaler
(salbutamol)
- Turbuhaler
(terbutaline, budesonide and
eformoterol)
|
| Spacers |
Valved spacers should
be used in the following instances by all adult patients who have
poor coordination when using an MDI and by children of all ages. |
- AeroChamber
- Breath-A-Tech
- Fisonair
- MEDI-Spacers
- Nebuhaler
- Space Chamber
- Volumatic
|
| Nebulisers |
Valved spacers have
reduced the need for nebulisers in all age groups.
Nebulisers should only be prescribed for
patients with severe life-threatening asthma. |
|
*Extracts from the Asthma Management Handbook 2002 - Drug Delivery Devices
Important Note
If any device used in acute asthma (dry powder, aerosol, or nebuliser) fails
to produce an adequate response, medical help should be sought and/or an
alternative device should be used to deliver beta2
agonist treatment.
For more information on drug delivery devices go to
Metered Dose Inhalers
- Asthma Management Handbook 2002
Spacers - Asthma
Management Handbook 2002
Dry Powder Devices -
Asthma Management Handbook 2002
Nebulisers - Asthma
Management Handbook 2002
Conference
Diary 2004
Submit brief conference/meeting details to the National Asthma
Council for possible posting in our Conference Diary by email to
nac@NationalAsthma.org.au.
National Medicines Symposium 2004
Quality Use of
Medicines - Time for total integration
Brisbane Convention and
Exhibition Centre
Brisbane, Australia
28-30 July, 2004
National
Medicines Symposium 2004
(www.nps.org.au/nms2004) |
 |
17th International Symposium on Epidemiology in
Occupational Health
Carlton Crest Hotel
Melbourne, Australia
13-16 October 2004
EPICOH 2004
(www.med.monash.edu.au/epicoh2004) |
 |
2005 Annual Scientific Meeting
The Thoracic
Society of Australia and New Zealand
Perth Convention Exhibition Centre
18 - 23 March
2005
TSANZ Annual Scientific Meeting 2005
(http://www.thoracic.org.au/asm2005.html) |
 |
Created June 25, 2004. Updated
January 31, 2008
|
