asthma
Start with the big picture
Asthma symptoms and lung function fluctuate, reflecting airway inflammation and an exaggerated response to stimuli. The lesson connects this pathophysiology with common exacerbating factors and diagnostic assessment, including spirometry and bronchodilator reversibility. It then presents asthma control measures and a stepwise pharmacologic approach, covering reliever choices, inhaled corticosteroids, add-on therapies, and treatment escalation. Acute severe asthma management is addressed alongside ongoing self-management, inhaler technique, adherence, and monitoring. Safety considerations include adverse effects of inhaled and systemic corticosteroids, the need to use LABA only with concurrent ICS, and interactions relevant to theophylline. Together, these topics provide a structured foundation for individualized asthma care.
What you'll learn
- Explain how airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness contribute to variable airflow obstruction.
- Identify common asthma triggers and describe their relevance to assessment.
- Summarize spirometric criteria and bronchodilator reversibility used in diagnosis.
- Describe asthma control measures and the stepwise approach to pharmacotherapy.
- Recognize key medication safety, monitoring, and self-management considerations.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.
