By Henry Ehrlich
Just when I thought I had heard all the excuses for asthma patients not taking their medication, I came across a 2007 item about the search for an inhaler propellant to replace ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). It quoted Leslie Hendeles, Pharm.D. professor of pharmacy and pediatrics at the University of Florida:
He also said some HFA inhalers contain alcohol and may not be appropriate for followers of certain religions. “If you’re a Muslim, you may have religious beliefs that prevent you from consuming alcohol, so you may not want to use two of the three brands that contain alcohol in them,” he said. Inhalers that contain alcohol could also cause issues for drivers, as patients who use the Proventil HFA inhaler temporarily experience an elevated breath-alcohol level. “So the scenario is, you’re having asthma problems and it makes your car kind of weave around, which arouses a police officer’s suspicion,” Dr. Hendeles said. “Then you take an inhaler to relieve it, and the highway patrol pulls you over and gives you a breathalyzer.”