Lung inflammation, constriction, and mucus result from chronic asthma. Some people suffer frequent, severe asthma attacks. Inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators may not help severe asthma. Severe asthma can cause lung damage, life-threatening asthma attacks, and a poor quality of life. Oral corticosteroids can induce obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and infections. TEZSPIRE, a novel severe asthma treatment, targets TSLP, an inflammatory protein that worsens asthma symptoms (Theofani et al., 2023). Four-week skin injections of TEZSPIRE reduce asthma episodes, lung function, and oral corticosteroid use. TEZSPIRE offers hope to adults and adolescents with severe asthma who have failed traditional treatments.
Key/Relevant Drug Information
The monoclonal antibody TEZSPIRE addresses cancer, autoimmune, and allergy illnesses. They block the cytokine TSLP, which induces and maintains inflammation and allergies, works. Airway and skin cells produce TSLP, which triggers immune cells to release histamine, leukotrienes, and cytokines, exacerbating asthma. TSLP blockade reduces inflammation and asthma control by inhibiting immune cell activation and mediator generation (Theofani et al., 2023). TEZSPIRE is 210 mg subcutaneously given every four weeks. Before starting TEZSPIRE, patients may need to contact an asthma expert and have an eosinophil count IgE blood test and a skin test for TEZSPIRE or ingredient allergies.
Live vaccines, immunosuppressants, and anticoagulants may interact with TEZSPIRE. Live measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox vaccines can infect immunocompromised people. Avoid live vaccines while using TEZSPIRE or for at least four months after the last dose because it can weaken the immune system (Niazi & Mariam, 2023). Tacrolimus, azathioprine, and cyclosporine increase infection and cancer risks. TEZSPIRE users should avoid immunosuppressants. Warfarin, heparin, and dabigatran increase injection-site bleeding and bruising. Regular blood tests can assess clotting time and adjust anticoagulant medication.
TEZSPIRE affects eosinophils, IgE, and total serum protein lab results. Eosinophils, which react to allergens and inflammation, can cause asthma and airway inflammation. Allergen-responsive IgE antibodies release histamine and other inflammatory mediators. Total serum protein measures nutrition, hydration, liver, kidney, and immune function. Eosinophil count and IgE decrease with TEZSPIRE, indicating reduced inflammation and allergy, but total serum protein decreases, indicating protein loss. Medical professionals examine and change blood tests to monitor these levels.
Patient Education Considerations
TEZSPIRE-treated severe asthmatics need nurses’ education and support. Please describe how TEZSPIRE prevents the protein TSLP, which produces inflammation and increases asthma symptoms. Over weeks or months, patients should realize that TEZSPIRE steadily reduces asthma episodes, lung function, and oral corticosteroid use. Encourage regular use as their doctor prescribes and advise against quitting treatment without consulting them. Reinforce the necessity of taking other asthma medications and following their asthma action plan unless instructed otherwise by their doctor.
Second, teach patients how to prepare, store, and self-administer TEZSPIRE injections safely. Allow them to practice with the prefilled syringe or autoinjector under your supervision. Provide written and spoken instructions and demo videos. Fridge and let TEZSPIRE reach room temperature before injecting. Instruct them to rotate injection locations such as the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm to avoid irritation. Show how to clean the injection site with alcohol and inject at 90 degrees.
Report side effects and allergic reactions to their doctor. Encourage asthmatics to take their medications and follow their regimen. Encourage asthma symptoms and peak flow logging for proactive management. Tell patients about TEZSPIRE Together, which offers financial aid, nurse educators, symptom tracking, and a patient portal. Finally, answer TEZSPIRE and asthma questions to promote open communication and patient confidence in their treatment plan.
How can you adapt your brochure for low health literacy?
Several methods can make the pamphlet easy to understand and use for low-health literacy audiences. First, avoid medical jargon and speak plainly. Bullet points and short words simplify complex ideas and prevent lengthy paragraphs that may overwhelm readers. Small, decorative fonts are more challenging to read than large, clear ones. Pictures, diagrams, and icons help reinforce crucial concepts and reduce word utilization (Reading et al., 2020). Organize text and highlight crucial points with colors, headings, and white space to avoid overloading readers. Create constructive communication using plain words and an active voice. Say no to passive voices and foul language. Avoid abstract ideas and entice readers using real-life examples, stories, or testimonials—test reader comprehension using questions, quizzes, or comments to avoid assumptions and encourage active interaction. Finally, employ a friendly, polite tone throughout the brochure to establish a welcoming environment that encourages content engagement without judgment or blame. The pamphlet gives low-health-literate people vital information to make health decisions using these methods.
References
Niazi, S. K., & Mariam, Z. (2023). Reinventing Therapeutic Proteins: Optimizing Investments and Meeting Humanitarian Needs.
Reading Turchioe, M., Grossman, L. V., Myers, A. C., Baik, D., Goyal, P., & Masterson Creber, R. M. (2020). Visual analogies, not graphs, increase patients’ comprehension of changes in their health status. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(5), 677-689.
Theofani, E., Tsitsopoulou, A., Morianos, I., & Semitekolou, M. (2023). Severe Asthmatic Responses: The Impact of TSLP. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(8), 7581.