Awareness of the ozone layer and acceptance of a new CFC-free metered dose inhaler among asthmatic patients

Setting: University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Objective: To assess the awareness of the ozone layer and the acceptance of the new non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant hydrofluoroalkane 134a salbutamol pressurised metered dose inhaler (MDI) Airomir™ among asthmatic patients.

Design: A total of 113 consecutive asthmatic patients aged 12 years and above from the out- and in-patient services of the hospital were interviewed using a questionnaire.

Results: Sixty-five per cent of the patients were aware of the existence of the ozone layer, 23% that CFCs play a role in ozone depletion, and only 10% that current MDIs contained CFCs. All the patients felt that pressurised MDIs should be made CFC-free after they had considered the role of CFCs in the destruction of the ozone layer. Eighty-one per cent of 94 patients who preferred the Airomir™ inhaler over a multi-dose dry powder inhaler for administering bronchodilator medications were willing to switch to the new inhaler once it became available on the market.

Conclusion: Awareness of the damaging effect of CFCs on the ozone layer among asthmatic patients would encourage them to change to an ozone-friendly, CFC-free pressurised MDI.