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WiRED Releases Asthma Express Module
BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN
L
earning about asthma just got easy: WiRED International now offers an Express module on asthma.
Some 235 million people, or one in 12, currently suffer from asthma.
Asthma is an undertreated and often undiagnosed disease that is becoming a major global health issue. According to the article increasing air pollution, fast modernization, and widespread construction work are some of the reasons asthma has increased. The situation is complicated by poor access to medical services, the high price of effective drugs, and poor health education among affected populations.
 Asthma Inhaler
Asthma affects the lungs. It is one of the most common chronic diseases, often starting in childhood. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and coughing. There is no cure; a person with asthma will always have the disease, but will suffer asthma attacks only when something irritates the lungs.
Risk factors for contracting asthma include a genetic predisposition plus environmental irritants such as indoor allergens (dust mites in bedding, carpets and furniture, pollution and pet dander), outdoor allergens (pollens and molds), tobacco smoke, chemical irritants in the workplace and air pollution.
It is important to control asthma symptoms when they first occur. Treating symptoms promptly will help prevent them from worsening and causing an asthma attack, which can lead to a medical emergency. Severe asthma attacks can be fatal.
Asthma can be diagnosed through a lung function assessment called a spirometry test, a medical history and a physical examination.
Treatment depends on the severity of the asthma, and whether, for example, the patient is a child, a pregnant woman or an older adult. Medications may be taken in pill form, but most require a device called an inhaler, which allows the medicine to go directly to the lungs. Inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred medicines for long-term control of asthma. They relieve the inflammation and swelling that make airways sensitive to irritants. There are also quick-relief medications for asthma, which relieve symptoms that may flare up.
WiRED’s asthma module, which is designed for grassroots audiences, has interactive quizzes and a comprehensive quiz at the end. The module covers asthma from symptoms and diagnosis to control and treatment. In addition to the Asthma Express course, WiRED offers other modules on the disease in English and in Spanish.
All materials in WiRED’s Learning Center are free to all for download to a computer or flash drive.
Asthma can be a frightening condition. However, with proper medical care most people affected by asthma can live a normal healthy life.
Test your Knowledge of Asthma!
The following are sample questions and answers from WiRED’s Asthma Express Module.
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