New inhaler cuts severe asthma attacks by a quarter –

A new type of inhaler for patients with asthma could radically reduce the risk of developing life-threatening breathing difficulties.

One study found that the new inhaler, which combined two drugs now taken separately to treat the lung condition, reduced the number of patients with severe asthma attacks by a quarter.

Asthma affects eight million Britons, or 12% of the population, and patients can experience severe breathing difficulties when their airways are inflamed. This leads to 60,000 hospitalizations and more than 1,000 deaths annually.

There is no cure for the condition, but regular medications can help control symptoms.

There is no cure for the condition, but regular medications can help control symptoms.

Asthmatics are treated with two inhalers, both of which fire a rain of medication directly into their airways to treat inflammation.

The first – usually brown – is used regularly to prevent symptoms. Second, blue is often used to relieve symptoms during an asthma attack. Although extremely effective when used correctly, many asthmatics do not use brown ‘safeguard’ inhalers on a regular basis.

It is hoped that the combined combination of the two drugs will facilitate patients’ self-treatment.

Professor Tim Harrison, an asthma specialist at the University of Nottingham, who took part in the trial, said: “This could lead to a drastic reduction in the number of asthma attacks we see. They can lead to hospitalizations and sometimes even death.”

The study divided more than 3,000 patients into two groups.

One group was given the new inhaler, known as the PT027, and the other group continued to use the regular blue and brown inhaler.

At the end of the study, patients using the PT027 inhaler had a 27% lower risk of having a severe asthma attack.

The PT027 inhaler is currently used by the US Heads of Health and Prof. Harrison said he hopes it will be available to NHS asthma patients when the time comes.

Brian Johnson, 45, from Keyworth, Nottingham, attended the hearing and had severe asthma since childhood.

“I want to switch to full-time use,” said the married manager of an engineering firm, noting that she noticed a significant improvement in her symptoms.