Alternative to peak flow meter coming soon
An alternative device to the peak flow meter has been developed at Brunel University and could be on the market within 12 to 18 months.
The new device, Asthma Alert, can measure asthma status at rest. This
contrasts with peak flow meters which require forced exhalation, limiting
use by children and those having an asthma attack. It uses a technique
known as capnography, monitoring the rate of change in concentration
of exhaled carbon dioxide against time during normal breathing. The manufacturer
of the device, Asthma Alert Ltd, says that the hand-held device is small
and inexpensive and is simple enough to be used for toddlers. In place
of a number scale, such as used on peak flow meters, the Asthma Alert
features a screen advising the patient or carer about asthma status and
giving instructions on how to adjust medication if required.
According to a spokesman for Asthma Alert Ltd, development work on the
meter has finished and its mass production is under negotiation. Co-inventor
Dr Deryk Williams said: “Its simplicity, reliability and low cost
will make it ideal for patients to monitor their own asthma and be in
control of the disease. It will also be of immense benefit to GPs, who
will now be able to diagnose asthma far more accurately.”
The Asthma Alert has been welcomed by the National Asthma Campaign. The
charity’s research manager Dr Matthew Hallsworth said that one
in eight children in the UK has asthma but they can be difficult to diagnose. “There
is no single test for asthma, so if this device can help us to recognise
and treat asthma early on in a child’s life it will be very welcome.” |
