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LouvainX: Respiration in the Human Body

Learn about respiration and the function of the lungs, oxygen and CO₂ in the body from medical experts.

7 weeks
3–5 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
This course is archived

About this course

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How do we breathe? What is the purpose of our lungs? What is the link between oxygen and life ? These questions open a vast field of discovery to help us understand respiration. This course is for anyone who wants to understand human respiratory physiology, the operation of respiration and the lungs.

Immersed in the heart of the university and hospital practice, you’ll learn from professors, health professionals, interns and medical students. Together we’ll discuss topics that are close to the world surrounding us: respiration during exercise, at high altitude, the role of air pollutants, asthma, and other important respiratory issues.

During the course experts will discuss specific and practical topics such as how to comprehend oxygenation of a patient, why and when to administer oxygen, and what hyperventilation means.

This course will also discuss in depth human anatomy, physical volumes and pressures of gasses, blood, oxygen, CO₂, lungs, tissues, smoking and chronic bronchitis.

At a glance

  • Institution: LouvainX
  • Subject: Medicine
  • Level: Introductory
  • Prerequisites:

    This course is taught in English and French. The videos are subtitled in English, and all other course materials and course discussions are also in English.

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Hyperventilation, Physiology, Anatomy, Asthma, Respiration

What you'll learn

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  • Explain and describe the principles of oxygenation, ventilation, transport and consumption of oxygen and gas diffusion between air and blood
  • How to explain and describe respiration through diagrams and calculations using fundamental formulas
  • Evaluate the quantity and quality of the oxygenation of a patient
  • Distinguish normal respiratory situations from pathological ones

Learner testimonials

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Really engaging speaker and very accessible as it comes with English subtitles for non-native French speakers. Well explained lessons which provoke deeper thought and the assignments do really enforce your learning. Touches upon some medical aspects which I really enjoyed. Brilliant course!

A learner on Coursetalk

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