Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM) 

Environmental Triggers of Asthma
How to Use This Course

Introduction

The goal of Case Studies in Environmental Medicine (CSEM) is to increase the primary care provider’s knowledge of hazardous substances in the environment and to help in evaluation and treating of potentially exposed patients. This CSEM focuses on Environmental Triggers of Asthma.

Available Versions

Two versions of the Environmental Triggers of Asthma CSEM are available.

• The online version (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/asthma/) provides the same content through the Internet.
• The downloadable PDF version provides content in an electronic, printable format, especially for those who may lack adequate Internet service.

The HTML version offers interactive exercises and prescriptive feedback to the user.

Instructions

To make the most effective use of this course, we recommend that you

• take the Initial Check to assess your current knowledge about Environmental Triggers of Asthma;
• read the title, learning objectives, text, and key points in each section;
• complete the progress check exercises at the end of each section and check your answers; and
• complete and submit your assessment and posttest response online if you wish to obtain continuing education credit. Continuing education certificates can be printed immediately upon completion.

Instructional Format

• This course is designed to help you learn efficiently. Topics are clearly labeled so that you can skip sections or quickly scan sections with which you are already familiar. This labeling will also allow you to use this training material as a handy reference. To help you identify and absorb important content quickly, each section is structured as follows:

Title

Serves as a “focus question” that you should be able to answer after completing the section.

Learning Objectives

Describes specific content addressed in each section and focuses your attention on important points.

Text

Provides the information you need to answer the focus question(s) and achieve the learning objectives.

Key Points

Highlights important issues and helps you review.

Progress Check

Enables you to test yourself to determine whether you have mastered the learning objectives.

Answers

Provide feedback to ensure you understand the content and can locate information in the text.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the Environmental Triggers of Asthma CSEM, you will be able to:

Overview of Asthma

• Define asthma
• Identify environmental factors that trigger asthma

Differential Diagnosis of Asthma

• Identify five conditions that may be confused with asthma in children
• Identify five conditions that may be confused with asthma in adults

Environmental Triggers of Asthma

• Identify five indoor triggers of an acute asthma episode
• Identify five outdoor triggers of an acute asthma episode
• Describe the effect of occupational exposures on adult asthma prevalence

Clinical Assessment

• Identify the key signs and symptoms of asthma
• Describe questions regarding environmental asthma triggers that should be included in the standard medical history
• Describe pulmonary function test criteria for diagnosing asthma
• Identify the role of allergy testing in managing asthma
• Describe questions regarding occupational asthma triggers that should be included in the standard medical history

Treatment, Management, and Prevention

• Describe the general treatment and management goals for patients with asthma
• Describe modifying factors that might affect how environmental triggers cause or exacerbate asthma
• Identify at least three things patients should do to decrease exposure to allergens and irritants