England: inhalers/year | England: % MDI | Sweden: inhalers/year | Sweden: % MDI | England: CO2e (kt) per year | England: potential annual reduction of CO2e (kt) | |
SABA | 21 931 511 | 94 | 1 477 692 | 10 | 414.00 | 350.0 |
LABA | 700 195 | 65 | 377 415 | 2 | 9.30 | 8.4 |
SAMA | 421 191 | 100 | No data | 100 | 8.40 | 0 |
ICS | 6 733 445 | 94 | 765 796 | 15 | 127.00 | 101.0 |
ICS+LABA | 14 075 067 | 47 | 1 719 428 | 13 | 140.00 | 91.0 |
LAMA and LAMA+LABA | 6 549 448 | 0 | 428 732 | 0 | 6.55 | 0 |
LAMA+LABA + ICS | 5211 | 99 | 2 626 | 100 | −0.10 | 0 |
Total | 49 994 877 | 70 | 4 771 689 | 13 | 705.0 | 550.0 |
Analysis uses 2017 community prescribing data from the NHS in England (https://digital.nhs.uk/) and assumes carbon footprint of MDI is 20 kg CO2e and DPI is 1 kg CO2e. SAMA not included in analysis, as no DPI SAMA alternative is available. Potential annual reduction shows the hypothetical carbon savings if England were to prescribe the same proportions of MDI as Sweden.
DPI, dry powder inhaler; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; LABA, long-acting β2-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; MDI, metered dose inhaler; SABA, short-acting β2-agonist; SAMA, short-acting muscarinic antagonist.