A 65-year-old patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been prescribed a new inhaler. The medical assistant needs to educate the patient on using the device. As part of the instruction, what should the medical assistant emphasize immediately after the patient takes a long, deep inhalation of the medication?
Exhale immediately to expel any residual medication from the airways and prevent potential side effects.
Take a few rapid, shallow breaths to ensure the medication is distributed evenly throughout the lungs.
Hold the breath for approximately 10 seconds or as long as comfortably possible to allow for better absorption of the medication.
Continue to breathe in and out rapidly to facilitate deeper penetration of the medication into the lung tissue.