This podcast episode focuses on asthma diagnosis and management in family medicine. The co-hosts discuss diagnostic criteria (history, physical exam, spirometry), differentiating asthma from similar conditions in children (bronchiolitis, croup, foreign body aspiration), and assessing asthma severity in both acute exacerbations and ongoing care. Specific treatment approaches for acute exacerbations (SABAs, anticholinergics, corticosteroids) and long-term management (stepwise approach using ICS, LABAs, and other medications) are detailed. Listeners gain practical guidance on using peak flow monitoring, creating asthma action plans, and recognizing when specialist referral is necessary; for example, the episode highlights the importance of considering alternative diagnoses if a patient presents with fever or purulent sputum.
