Change your asthma inhaler

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Description

Did you know that the pollution created by asthma inhalers can be as significant as eating meat?

Typically, asthma inhalers are aerosol spray inhalers — also known as puffers or pressurized metered-dose inhalers. They contain potent greenhouse gases — called hydrofluorocarbons — which are used to propel the medicine out of the inhaler. The problem is that these gases are up to 3,000 times more potent at overheating the planet than carbon dioxide!

The solution is fairly simple — more environmentally friendly inhalers that contain no propellant. They are called dry powder inhalers. There are many different types, but generally, you press a button or lever to load a capsule or twist a dial to get the inhaler ready. The medicine is released when you breathe in. Plus, you can see how many doses you have left.

They are more readily available in some areas than others but are proven tools that do the same job without all the pollution. Look into making the switch today.

Tips

• Do not change your asthma inhaler without talking to your doctor first. Most medical professionals believe that most patients can make the switch, but some may not be able to use dry powder inhalers.

• Switching to a new type of inhaler can be complicated, as it involves learning a different technique, so it should be done with support from a professional.

• Regardless of which asthma inhaler you currently use, return the used-up ones to your local pharmacy for environmentally safe disposal or recycling.

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Photo Credit
Image by Bob Williams from Pixabay