Understanding Asthma DiseaseCOURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to the Understanding Asthma Disease course. This program has been designed to equip you with essential knowledge about asthma, including what the disease is, how it develops, how it is diagnosed, and how it affects individuals across different life stages. You will explore contemporary asthma treatment approaches, the underlying mechanisms that drive symptoms, the environmental and biological factors that contribute to its

COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Understanding Asthma Disease course. This program has been designed to equip you with essential knowledge about asthma, including what the disease is, how it develops, how it is diagnosed, and how it affects individuals across different life stages. You will explore contemporary asthma treatment approaches, the underlying mechanisms that drive symptoms, the environmental and biological factors that contribute to its development, and how asthma differs from other respiratory conditions. This course also examines diagnostic tools, risk factors, global patterns, and the complex relationship between inflammation, allergies, and airway sensitivity.

This course begins by examining what asthma is and the components of contemporary asthma treatment, including medications, symptom monitoring, and lifestyle management. You will explore how many Australians have asthma, whether asthma is increasing, and how international patterns highlight differences in prevalence across regions. This section also examines why asthma is so common, whether it is primarily a disease of childhood, and how human lungs work to support breathing. You will explore whether lungs continue to develop after birth, what causes asthma, and the possible environmental factors involved in its development. This section also explains the relationship between allergy and asthma, whether asthma is preventable, the hygiene hypothesis, and the contemporary view of asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease compared to traditional views. You will also explore the contemporary understanding of airway inflammation and its role in symptom severity.

The next learning area focuses on symptoms, triggers, and early recognition. You will examine what the symptoms of asthma are, what constitutes an exacerbation, and the common symptoms associated with asthma flare-ups. This section explains what a wheeze is, whether you will always recognise wheezing when it occurs, and why a wheeze does not always indicate asthma. You will also explore why some people cough after exercise, whether symptoms may be caused by another condition, and the differential diagnosis of asthma in adults.

A further learning area examines asthma in relation to other respiratory conditions, particularly COPD. You will explore what COPD is, whether COPD is related to asthma, and the similarities and differences between the two conditions. This section also examines medical conditions that can mimic asthma or worsen asthma symptoms, how factors affecting asthma severity can be controlled, and how conditions such as vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) and GERD contribute to respiratory symptoms and complicate diagnosis.

Another learning area focuses on asthma diagnosis and the tools clinicians use to evaluate lung function. You will explore how asthma is diagnosed, the diagnostic testing used, and how pulmonary function tests (PFTs), spirometry, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements are used to assess airway obstruction. This section also explains what a methacholine challenge (bronchoprovocation) test is, how it helps confirm asthma in borderline cases, and how arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling provides information about oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in severe asthma episodes. You will also explore bronchoscopy and how it is used in selected cases to rule out other airway abnormalities.

The final learning area focuses on integrating asthma knowledge for better management and long-term respiratory health. You will explore how early recognition, accurate diagnosis, consistent monitoring, and lifestyle adjustments work together to minimise symptoms and prevent exacerbations. This section reinforces how understanding environmental triggers, controlling allergens, managing comorbidities, and following personalised action plans contribute to improved asthma control and quality of life.

By the end of this course you will be able to understand the nature of asthma, identify symptoms and triggers, distinguish asthma from other respiratory conditions, describe modern diagnostic tools, recognise factors that influence severity, evaluate environmental and biological contributors, and apply key principles that support effective asthma prevention, recognition, and management.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• What is asthma?
• The components of contemporary asthma treatment
• How many Australians have asthma?
• Is it true that asthma is on the upswing?
• The international patterns of asthma
• Why is asthma so common?
• Is asthma a disease of children?
• How do human lungs work?
• Do lungs continue to develop after birth?
• What causes asthma?
• The possible environmental factors in asthma development
• The relationship between allergy and asthma
• Is asthma preventable?
• What is the hygiene hypothesis?
• What is the contemporary view of asthma, and how does it differ from traditional views?
• The contemporary view of inflammation in asthma
• What are the symptoms of asthma?
• What is an exacerbation of asthma?
• The common symptoms of asthma exacerbations
• What is a wheeze?
• Will you know when someone wheeze?
• Does wheezing mean that they have asthma?
• Why do some people usually cough after jogging or running or after participating in sports?
• Could the lung symptoms be due to a condition other than asthma?
• The differential diagnosis of asthma in adults
• What is COPD?
• Is COPD related to asthma?
• What are the similarities and differences between asthma and COPD?
• Are there medical conditions that can mimic asthma or make it more severe?
• The control of factors affecting asthma severity
• What is vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) syndrome?
• What is GERD, and why does it affect some people’s asthma?
• How is the diagnosis of asthma established?
• The tools for diagnosing asthma
• What diagnostic testing is used to diagnose asthma?
• What are pulmonary function tests (PFTs), spirometry, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements?
• What is a methacholine challenge (bronchoprovocation) test?
• What is arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling?
• What is bronchoscopy?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.