The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued a warning for those using blue inhalers to treat asthma.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 363 million people were living with asthma worldwide in 2023. The organization describes asthma as a “chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages” that is “caused by inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways, which makes it harder to breathe.”
Now, NICE has warned that people treating asthma with blue inhalers alone could actually be worsening the condition over time.
Asthma inhalers have long been recommended to provide quick relief from symptoms, but guidelines in the UK are now changing. In an official press release, NICE stated: “The landmark guideline recommended that patients move away from the traditional blue inhaler – known medically as a short-acting beta2 agonist or SABA – towards combination inhalers that don’t just relieve symptoms but tackle the underlying inflammation that causes attacks in the first place,” according to Tyla.
“A significant shift in the management of asthma”
The outlet further reported that “the problem with the blue inhaler, doctors say, is that it masks the problem without fixing it,” and that “overuse is linked to a higher risk of attacks, hospital admissions and death.”
Dr. Amina Al-Yassin, a GP and clinical lead at Brent Integrated Care Partnership, said: “We now know that over time, they are likely to make asthma worse. Seeing a blue inhaler used alone is now a dangerous sign to me,” according to Tyla.
Instead, health experts are now recommending combination inhalers that both relieve symptoms and treat underlying inflammation.
Donna Peat, Respiratory Advanced Practitioner at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, reportedly told NICE: “The guideline has led to a significant shift in the management of asthma, focusing on prevention and that will help reduce the risk of attacks.”
