Carbon footprint associated with excess short-acting bronchodilator use in COPD
| A | Prevalence of clinically-diagnosed COPD (after subtracting people with misdiagnosed COPD – table 2) | 2 000 000 people |
| B | Number of people in ‘A’ who have moderate to severe disease | 1 440 000 people |
| Mild overuse: 4 to 180 days in a year requiring more than four uses (doses) of short-acting bronchodilator | ||
| SABA | ||
| MDI | ||
| C | Number of people in ‘B’ with mild rescue overuse and who are using a SABA MDI | 362 629 people |
| D | Carbon footprint of people in ‘C’ | 10 443 MT CO2e |
| SAMA | ||
| MDI | ||
| E | Number of people in ‘B’ with mild rescue overuse and who are using a SAMA MDI | 20 304 people |
| F | Carbon footprint of people in ‘E’ | 585 MT CO2e |
| Severe overuse: >180 days in a year requiring more than four uses (doses) of short-acting bronchodilator | ||
| SABA | ||
| MDI | ||
| G | Number of people in ‘B’ with severe rescue overuse and who are using a SABA MDI | 241 753 people |
| H | Carbon footprint of people in ‘G’ | 67 301 MT CO2e |
| SAMA | ||
| MDI | ||
| I | Number of people in ‘B’ with severe rescue overuse and who are using a SAMA MDI | 13 536 people |
| J | Carbon footprint of people in ‘I’ | 3 768 MT CO2e |
| Total | ||
| K | Carbon footprint of MDI overuse | 82 097 MT CO2e |
| L | Carbon footprint of DPI overuse – online supplemental appendix B, table S5 | 162 MT CO2e |
| M | Total carbon footprint of inhaler overuse | 82 259 MT CO2e |
Detailed calculations, supportive information and additional data on DPIs are presented in online supplemental material 1, appendix B, table S5
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; MDI, metred-dose inhaler; MT CO2e, metric tons of CO2 equivalent; SABA, short-acting beta2-agonist; SAMA, short-acting antimuscarinic agents.