The fifteenth course in the Underwriting Training Program introduces you to the most common respiratory system diseases and disorders encountered in underwriting and the way they affect mortality. This course is divided into three parts:
- Part 1 focuses on the airways, and the diseases and disorders that affect them.
- Part 2 focuses on the lungs, and diseases and disorders that affect them.
- Part 3 focuses on sleep-disordered breathing.
You’ll also learn about the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, complications, and unfavourable characteristics that must be considered when underwriting this disease.
Part 1: The Airways
In Part 1, you’ll learn about the respiratory system’s airways, and the diseases and disorders that affect them. Specifically, you’ll learn about asthma, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As well, you’ll learn about their signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, complications, and unfavourable characteristics that must be considered when underwriting each of them. This part will also discuss pulmonary function tests and how to interpret them.
- Name the different features of the airways.
- Explain the process of air flow.
- Differentiate between asthma, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Describe the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, and complications of asthma, bronchiectasis, and COPD.
- Interpret a pulmonary function test report on airway diseases and disorders.
Part 2: The Lungs
In Part 2, you’ll learn about the lungs and the following diseases and disorders: bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and tuberculosis. You’ll also learn about the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, complications, and unfavourable characteristics that must be considered when underwriting each of them.
- Name the different features of the lungs.
- Explain the role of the lungs in the respiratory system.
- Differentiate between bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and tuberculosis.
- Describe the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, and complications of bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and tuberculosis.
Part 3: Sleep-Disordered Breathing
In Part 3, you’ll learn about sleep-disordered breathing and the most common form of this condition: sleep apnea. You’ll also learn about the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, complications, and unfavourable characteristics of sleep apnea. As well, this part will discuss how to interpret a polysomnography (sleep study), which indicates the severity of sleep apnea.
- Define “sleep-disordered breathing,” including “apnea” and “hypopnea.”
- Differentiate between the three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed.
- Interpret a polysomnography (sleep study).
- Apply your underwriting knowledge on diseases and disorders of the respiratory system in case studies with real-life scenarios.