Breathlessness in the Older Adult: Is It Asthma?
Duration: 60 minutes
Program ID: 815 | Purchase Price: $105.00 (DVD)
Older adults may consider their breathlessness to be a frustrating but natural consequence of ageing, unaware that respiratory disease might be the cause. Yet the prevalence of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) both increase with age.
The risk of dying from asthma also increases with age, and acute asthma attacks are more rapidly fatal in older adults. However, up to one-third of elderly people with asthma are not identified as such by their doctors through a combination of under-reporting of symptoms and complexity of diagnosis. COPD is also under-diagnosed in the elderly.
This program will cover the differential diagnosis and management of asthma in older adults with breathlessness, with interrelated discussion of COPD. The distinction between asthma and COPD is important, even when they co-exist, as there are significant differences in the optimal management of each condition. Clinical case studies will be used to frame the discussion.
Program Presenters
- Chair: Dr Norman Swan - Presenter of the Health Report on ABC Radio National
- Dr Gary Kilov - General Practitioner, Clarinda Clinic, Melbourne, VIC
- Associate Professor Christine McDonald - Respiratory Physician, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC
- Ms Vanessa McDonald - Respiratory CNC, Hunter New England Health, Newcastle, NSW
- Ms Toni Riley - Community Pharmacist, Bendigo, VIC
Learning Outcomes
- Recognise the prevalence of asthma and COPD in older adults.
- Improve their ability to assess and diagnose asthma and COPD in older adults with breathlessness, including when to use spirometry.
- Identify appropriate management strategies for older adults with asthma and/or COPD, including indications for combination therapy and the role of vaccination.
- Understand the effects of impaired cognitive status, dexterity and eyesight on self-management of asthma and COPD.
Broadcast Dates
Upcoming Broadcasts
- Tuesday 14 September 2010 | Channel 23 | 8:00 pm (AEST)
- Friday 17 September 2010 | Channel 23 | 12:30 pm (AEST)
This program was first broadcast on the Foundation's satellite network on Tuesday 9 September 2008.
Funding Bodies
Accreditation
This program is accredited or endorsed for CPD/CPE by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Royal College of Nursing Australia and the Australian Physiotherapy Association.
