Health Watch: Promising 'Combo Inhaler' For Asthma Patients

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Nine people die from asthma each day in the U.S. Now, a new study looks at patients who have trouble controlling their condition and suggests possibly changing the way doctors treat them.

Currently, many asthma patients have two inhalers; one used every day for prevention and a rescue inhaler in case of an asthma attack.

A new study in Europe, however, finds that combining both medications in one inhaler may be a better solution.

Patients in the study used the combination inhaler twice a day. If symptoms came on, rather than use a separate relief inhaler, they just took another puff on the combo inhaler.

According to the study, patients with moderate or severe asthma, the single inhaler worked better than two.

"There was a 39 percent improvement in the reduction of asthma episodes," said Dr. Clifford Bassett of Allergy & Asthma Care of N.Y.

However, Bassett says the study results are still too new to change his practice.