Patient-reported adverse events under asthma therapy: a community pharmacy-based survey

The characteristics of patients who report adverse events (AEs) attributed to asthma therapy have been little investigated. Asthma patients aged 18-50 years were surveyed in pharmacies. Patients completed a questionnaire linked to computerized records of dispensed medications. Patients reported all AEs that they attributed to asthma therapy. The correlates of reporting 2+ AEs were identified. Almost 59% of the 1,351 patients (mean age: 37, 56% females) attributed AEs to asthma therapy, and 35% at least two. Most common AEs included tiredness (21.8%) and palpitations (21.1%). Poor asthma control and perception of asthma as a handicap were the major correlates of reporting 2+ AEs (odds ratio (OR) = 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) =[1.7-3.7] and OR = 1.9, 95% CI =[1.4-2.5]). Other significant correlates included age 430 years, female gender, and receiving psychotropic therapy. Inadequate control may partly account for AEs attributed by patients to asthma therapy. Improving patients' education may help to improve acceptability of asthma therapy.